Private    Litrar 


Tvansas   City,    Missouri 

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CAMP  ARCADY 


The  Rejected  Picture. 


CAMP  ARCADY 


The  story  of  four  girls,  and  some  others, 
who  "kept  house"  in  a  New  York  "flat" 


FLOY    CAMPBELL 


Richard  G.  Badger  £f?  Co. 

BOSTON  MDCCCC 


COPYRIGHT     1899    BY 

RICHARD  G.   BADGER  &  Co. 


All  Rights  Reserved 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I. 
The  First  Evening  in  Camp      ....         1 1 

CHAPTER  II. 
The  Winter's  Work  opens        ....        31 

CHAPTER  III. 
Christmas  Festivities 59 

CHAPTER  IV. 
New  Year's  Trials 73 

CHAPTER  V. 
Sid  has  Adventures '.  97 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Sid's  Baby 115 

CHAPTER  VII. 
The  Camp's  Last  Frolic 137 


THE  ILLUSTRATIONS 
BY  THE  AUTHOR 

The  Rejected  Picture        .      .  .        Frontispiece 

The  New  Arrival       .      .      .  facing  page    1 2 

Maud  at  Work      ....  "         "32 

Raphaelina "         "88 

The  Baby "         "    1 16 

The  Final  Talk     ....  "         "156 


THE  FIRST  EVENING  IN  CAMP 


CAMP  ARCADY 

CHAPTER  I. 
THE  FIRST  EVENING  IN  CAMP. 

a"\>TOST   time    for    Raphael    to   be 

jL  T  Aback  with  the  new  girl,  Saint." 

The  speaker  was   lounging  on  a  couch 

in  a  New  York  studio.     The  clear  north 

light,    falling     from     above,    showed    her 

lazy,  graceful  figure,  and  the  restless  turn 

of  her  brown  head,  and  hazel  eyes. 

Her    companion,    a     sweet,    dark-eyed 
little  woman,  looked  up  from  her  book. 

**  That's     Raphael's    step     now,"     she 
said,  rising  to  open  the  door. 

The   two  women    who    entered    could 


12  Camp  Arcady 

scarcely  have  been  in  greater  contrast. 
One  was  tall,  dark-skinned,  with  straight 
black  brows  above  burning  dark  eyes,  and 
a  strong,  almost  masculine  chin,  contra- 
dicted by  a  sensitive  mouth.  The  other 
was  small  and  girlish,  with  fair  curling 
hair  and  a  fresh  young  face,  pink  with 
the  flush  of  healthful  country  life. 

"This  is  Miss  Hastings,  girls,"  said 
the  tall  woman,  formally  presenting  her 
companion.  "  Miss  Hastings,  this  is  Miss 
Welch,"  with  a  nod  toward  the  bright- 
faced  girl  on  the  couch. 

41  Better  known,"  broke  in  the  person 
indicated,  "as  Sarah  Siddons  —  Siddy,  for 
short  —  on  account  of  histrionic  aspira- 
tions. You  don't  know  the  first  prin- 
ciples of  introduction,  Raphael.  Let  me 
take  charge  of  Miss  Hastings.  This, 
Miss  Hastings,  is  Cecilia  Howard,  known 


Camp  Arcady  13 

as  Saint  Cecilia.  You  will  hear  speci- 
mens of  her  music  later,  and  realize  the 
appropriateness  of  her  name.  This  tall 
and  solemn  creature  who  brought  you 
from  the  station  is  Elizabeth  Danton ; 
community  name,  Raphaelina.  Her 
masterpieces  adorn  the  walls  about  you," 
with  a  dramatic  wave  of  the  hand. 
"  You,  with  the  three  just  introduced, 
form  the  community,  the  Big  Four,  who 
encamp  together  for  the  winter.  What 
shall  we  call  you  in  the  Council  Tent  of 
Camp  Arcady  ? " 

The  poor  little  maiden  looked  with 
bewildered  eyes  from  the  group  of  girls  to 
the  strange  surroundings  of  the  studio. 

"I  —  I —  my  name  is  Maud,"  she 
stammered. 

"  Maudie  it  is,  then,  until  we  find  one 
that  fits  you  better.  Saint,  take  Maudie 


14  Camp  Arcady 

to  your  room,  and  fix  her  for  tea.  Raphy, 
your  locks  are  in  wild  and  inartistic  dis- 
order. I'll  have  tea  on  in  half  a  jiffy  : 
it's  been  waiting  for  you  two.  Now  run 
on,  children,  and  get  tidy."  And  Miss 
Welch,  Sarah  Siddons,  Siddy,  for  short, 
whisked  briskly  out  of  the  room. 

Cecilia  held  out  a  kind  little  hand  to 
Maud,  who  stood  helplessly  where  Sid 
had  left  her,  looking  half  frightened  and 
wholly  bewildered. 

"  I  hope  we  shall  be  the  best  of 
friends,"  she  said  gently,  "  and  shall 
make  you  feel  that  you  have  a  home  and 
a  family  in  this  human  wilderness.  We'll 
try  to  make  your  winter  pleasant.  Do 
you  think  we  can  ? "  And  she  smiled 
her  friendliest  smile. 

u  Now,"  she  added,  "  I  must  l  fix  you 
for  tea,'  according  to  Sid's  orders.  Let 


Camp  Arcady  i£ 

me  take  your  hat  and  cape,  and  brush 
your  hair  back  a  little  —  so.  Yes,  Sid, 
we're  coming." 

Sid  was  standing  at  the  door,  ringing  a 
big  bell,  and  calling  vigorously, — 

"  Tea  !  tea  !  tea  !  la-a-st  call  for  tea  in 
the  dining  ca-a-a-r  !  " 

Elizabeth  was  already  at  the  table, 
giving  it  the  finishing  touches.  Very 
inviting  it  looked,  with  the  queer  bits  of 
china  gathered  from  odd  corners  for  their 
artistic  value  in  "  still  lifes,"  the  teaset 
of  old  britannia  ware  (that  had  been  u  my 
great-grandmother's  wedding  present," 
Sid  proudly  explained),  the  bread-and- 
butter  as  artistically  thin  as  the  plate  that 
held  it,  and  the  chops  of  a  golden  brown 
that  couldn't  have  been  improved. 

Cecilia  poured  the  fragrant  tea, — 
Elizabeth  watching  silently, —  while  Sid 


1 6  Camp  Arcady 

did  "  the  general  waiting,"  seeing  that 
Maud's  plate  was  well  supplied  with 
bread  and  meat,  and  her  mind  with  in- 
formation. 

"  I'm  glad  you're  to  be  with  us, 
Maudie,"  she  began,  as  she  distributed 
chops.  "  Raphy  will  help  you  lots  with 
your  art  studies,  and  the  Saint  will  be  real 
motherly  and  sweet,  and  I  —  oh,  I'll  see 
that  things  don't  get  much  slower  in  New 
York  than  they  are  in  Kansas.  I  usually 
manage  to  make  them  pretty  lively,"  she 
added  with  a  laugh. 

"  How  true  that  is,  my  dear  Sid ! " 
sighed  Cecilia,  with  mock  resignation ; 
while  silent  Elizabeth's  eyes  looked,  it 
seemed  to  Maud,  through  and  through  the 
new  art  student. 

"  And  I  know  you'll  like  our  house- 
keeping," went  on  Sid.  "  It  is  such  fun  ! 


Camp  Arcady  17 

You  see  this  house  was  once  the  abode  of 
Wealth  and  Fashion  (with  large  capital 
letters),  and  these  mansard  rooms  were 
the  servants'  quarters ;  and  horrid  stuffy 
things  they  were,  too, —  the  rooms,  not 
the  servants,  I  mean.  But  Wealth  and 
Fashion  moved  up  town  long  ago,  and 
shops  took  possession  of  the  basement 
and  the  first  floor,  doctors  and  lawyers 
have  the  second  and  third  floors,  and  we 
have  the  mansard.  They  took  out  the 
north  slope  of  the  roof,  and  put  in  a  sky- 
light ;  and  there  are  two  fine  studios  for 
Raphy  and  the  Saint.  And  just  think, 
the  whole  floor  —  four  rooms  and  a  hall 
—  doesn't  cost  us  any  more  than  a  single 
up-town  studio !  And  it's  the  nicest 
place  to  keep  house !  This  is  kitchen- 
and-dining-room,  you  see.  Here's  the 
cook-stove  behind  the  Japanese  screen. 


1 8  Camp  Arcady 

Isn't  it  a  dear  ?  And  that  dry-goods  box 
is  a  kitchen  table  and  cupboard  combined  ; 
and  this  fire-escape  balcony  is  our  ice- 
box, where  we  keep  our  milk  and  butter, 
and  —  oh,  I'm  just  wild  to  have  you  get 
through  supper  and  show  you  the  funny 
cooking  things,  —  the  dishpan  and  the 
spider  and  " — 

"Sid,  Sid,"  interrupted  Cecilia,  "do 
let  poor  Maud  rest.  You  must  have  for- 
gotten that  she  just  came  from  the  train. 
I'm  going  to  take  her  right  away  and 
help  her  unpack,  and  then  make  her  lie 
down  and  rest.  Come,  dear." 

"  But  she  must  sign  the  constitution 
and  by-laws  first,"  said  Sid.  "  There  it 
is,  tacked  above  the  household  purse, 
Maud." 

Maud  went  to  look  at  the  document 
indicated.  It  read  as  follows  :  — 


Camp  Arcady  19 

CONSTITUTION  AND  B^-LAWS 

or  THK 
COMMUNITY   OF    CAMP   ARCADY. 

ARTICLE  I. —  This  community  shall  consist 
of  four  persons. 

ARTICLE  II. —  The  officers  shall  be  Presi- 
dent, Vice- President,  Secretary,  and  Treas- 
urer. There  shall  be  four  incumbents  to  each 
office,  all  having  equal  voice  in  matters  of 
interest. 

ARTICLE  III. —  The  purse  below  shall  be 
the  Camp  Treasury,  and  into  it  every  member 
shall  put,  during  each  month,  the  sum  of  seven- 
teen dollars  ($17),  said  sum  to  be  used:  (ist) 
to  pay  rent  for  the  camp  dwelling  ;  (2d)  to 
pay  the  marketing  bills;  (sd)  for  "wash 
ladies"  and  "scrub"  ditto. 

If  there  is  a  deficit,  each  member  shall  be 
taxed  one  dollar  to  make  up  the  same.  If 
there  is  a  surplus,  it  shall  be  used  to  treat  the 


2O  Camp  Arcady 

crowd  to  a  concert,  opera,  ice-cream,  or  other 
worthy  object. 

To  which  we,   the  undersigned,   do  hereby 

Signed  and  subscribed, 

SARAH  SIDDONS. 
SAINT(?)   CECILIA. 
RAPHAELINA. 

"  There's  a  space  left  for  you,  Maud  ; 
and  here's  a  pencil,"  said  Sid. 

Maud  wrote  her  name  at  the  end  of  the 
column,  laughing.  "  Just  think  of  a 
society  of  four  persons  having  sixteen 
officers !  " 

"  You  see,"  Cecil  explained  gravely, 
"  a  society  must  have  officers  and  we 
didn't  want  any  jealousy  over  these 
things,  so  we  fixed  it  that  way." 

"  And  it  works  beautifully,"  added  Sid. 
"  Here,"  rapping  on  the  table  with  a 


Camp  Arcady  21 

knife,  "  I  call  the  meeting  to  order,  and 
move  that,  as  this  is  our  first  tea  together, 
we  all  tell  our  plans  for  the  winter,  and 
next  spring,  before  we  break  up,  compare 
the  results  with  our  hopes.  Come  now, 
I'll  break  the  ice  for  you  bashful  ones. 
I'm  going  to  get  a  position  as  understudy 
of  some  Shakspearian  actress  ;  and  by  next 
spring  I'm  going  to  star  it  myself  and 
have  all  New  York  at  the  feet  of  the 
rising  genius  of  the  day,  Miss  Marguerite 
Welch  (known  more  commonly  to  her 
friends  as  Sid).  Now,  Saint :  "  and  Sid 
subsided  with  a  gay  laugh  and  a  funny 
little  dramatic  pose. 

The  other  three  joined  in  the  merri- 
mentj  for  Sid's  aspirations  were  the  camp 
joke. 

"  I  ?  "  said  Cecilia.  "  I  might  ask  Sid 
for  a  place  in  the  orchestra  of  her  theatre, 


22  Camp  Arcady 

but  my  dreams  are  much  more  modest. 
I  only  want  a  good  class, —  say  about 
twenty  pupils, —  and  a  reputation  as  the 
best  music-teacher  in  town.  That's  all !" 

"  Not  bad,"  said  Sid,  critically,  "  not 
bad  at  all.  Now,  Raph  ?  " 

Elizabeth's  eyes  were  smiling,  but  she 
spoke  soberly. 

"  I  have  only  one  aim,"  she  said,  —  "  to 
paint  honestly,  to  respect  my  work,  to  let 
nothing  pass  from  my  studio  that  I  can 
possibly  improve,  and  to  leave  the  result 
—  in  stronger  hands." 

The  last  words  were  spoken  in  a  lower, 
reverent  tone,  that  made  Cecilia  give 
Elizabeth's  hand  a  sympathetic  squeeze 
under  the  table ;  while  Sid  said  complain- 
ingly :  — 

u  Dear  me,  Raphael,  you  make  me 
feel  like  a  church.  'Tisn't  agreeable. 


Camp  Arcady  23 

Break  the  spell,  Maud.  I  hope  your  aims 
are  a  trifle  more  ambitious  than  our  poor, 
low  ones." 

"  I  haven't  any  special  aim,"  said 
Maud,  "  except  that  I  want  to  work  hard, 
and  try  to  do  so  well  that  the  folks  will 
be  proud  of  me.  I  don't  want  to  disap- 
point them,"  she  added,  her  thoughts 
going  back  to  the  dear  people  in  the  little 
house  out  West  —  so  far  away  now. 

"  That's  a  very  lovely  aim,"  said  Ce- 
cilia, "  and  I  know  you  will  not  disappoint 
them.  Your  mother  will  be  proud  of 
your  brave  efforts,  whether  you  ever  be- 
come famous  or  not.  Mothers  always 
are." 

The  girls  were  silent  a  moment.  Sid 
was  thinking  of  the  mother  she  had  never 
known,  wondering  whether  she  would 
have  loved  that  real  mother  more  than 


24  Camp  Arcady 

her  step-mother,  "who  is  so  kind  I  just 
long  to  love  her,  but  I  can't,"  she  told 
Cecil.  "  She  is  kind  because  she  doesn't 
love  me,  and  that  hurts  her  conscience." 

Cecilia  was  thinking  very  tenderly 
of  the  gentle,  placid  woman  in  the 
cottage  on  the  Hudson,  the  sweet 
saint  who  had  said,  "  Go  to  thy  work, 
daughter,  if  thee  feels  called  ;  but  do  not 
forget  that  only  a  true,  pure  heart  and  a 
helpful  hand  are  real  success.  And  when 
thee  is  tired  of  the  struggle,  my  child,  re- 
member that  here  is  home." 

And  Elizabeth  thought  how,  when  she 
started  for  Paris,  her  mother  kissed  her  at 
the  cry  of  "All  ashore!"  and  said: 
"Work,  Elizabeth.  Work  hard,  and 
think  of  your  work  as  something  holy, 
not  to  be  insulted  by  half-hearted  effort. 
You  have  the  power  that  means  responsi- 


Camp  Arcady  25 

bility,  and  I  trust  you.  O  my  child,  my 
child  ! " 

The  Dantons  were  not  an  effusive 
family.  They  were  proud  and  con- 
strained. That  kiss  was  almost  the  first 
Elizabeth  could  remember  receiving  from 
her  mother,  and  it  was  the  last ;  for  a  letter 
from  home  that  waited  for  her  in  Paris 
told  her  of  her  mother's  death. 

"  But  you  must  stay  and  study,"  her 
father  wrote.  "  She  wished  it  to  be  so, 
and  her  wishes  shall  be  sacred  to  us  both." 

So  Elizabeth  had  stayed  four  years. 
Then  came  news  of  her  father's  death. 
"  Overwork  and  heart-failure,"  said  the 
letter  that  recalled  her  to  New  York. 

"  Come,  let's  do  the  unpacking  and 
cleaning  up,"  said  Sid,  at  last,  jumping  to 
her  feet  with  an  impatient  shake  of  her 


26  Camp  Arcady 

shoulders  as  if  to  rid  herself  of  unpleasant 
thoughts.  "  Saint,  go  and  help  Maudie 
with  her  trunk,  will  you  ?  Raph,  I 
popped  some  corn  in  your  chafing-dish 
this  afternoon,  and  you'd  better  clean  it. 
I'll  'tend  to  the  dishes.  Go  on,  all  of 
you.  Shoo  !  sho-o-o  !  "  And  she  drove 
them  out  of  the  room,  with  much  flapping 
of  her  apron. 

Busy  over  that  most  fascinating  of  all 
tasks,  unpacking,  Maud  and  Cecil  soon 
became  quite  confidential ;  and  Maud  told 
the  motherly  little  woman  that  she  was 
dreadfully  afraid  of  Elizabeth.  "  She  is 
so  tall  and  solemn  and  dark,  and  her  eyes 
look  like  caverns  with  fires  'way  back  in 
the  shadows ;  but  Sid  is  the  funniest  girl  I 
ever  saw,"  she  said. 

And  Cecil,  who  was  wise,  told  Maud 
of  Elizabeth's  loneliness,  of  the  self-re- 


Camp  Arcady  27 

pression  and  self-concentration  that  had 
been  her  earliest  lessons,  of  her  passion 
for  her  work,  of  the  pride  and  shyness 
that  often  made  her  seem  cold  ;  told  her 
of  Siddy's  motherless  childhood  and  un- 
trained girlhood,  of  the  quickness  of 
speech,  followed  always  by  an  equally 
quick  repentance,  of  the  splendid  gener- 
osity and  loyalty  to  the  right  that  made  all 
shortcomings  as  nothing. 

So,  when  Sid  rapped  at  the  door  and 
asked  if  they  "  weren't  to  have  their  even- 
ing warble,"  Maud  felt  that  she  must 
have  known  the  girls  for  years ;  and  there 
was  a  very  happy  homelike  feeling  in  her 
heart  as  she  stood  listening  to  Elizabeth's 
deep  alto  booming  along  through  the  clear 
soprano  of  Cecil's  tones,  and  Sid's  at- 
tempts at  tenor. 

And,  when  the  singing  was  done,  Ra- 


a  8  Camp  Arcady 

phael  looked  at  the  drawings  Maud  had 
unpacked,  and  told  her  her  "  eye  for  color 
was  good,  but  she  would  have  to  do 
some  hard  studying  on  line."  And 
Maud,  bewildered,  but  undaunted,  re- 
plied, "  That's  just  what  I  came  here 
for,"  thereby  winning  a  grave  approving 
smile  from  Elizabeth,  and  a  hearty, 
"  That's  right,  child  !  "  from  Sid,  accom- 
panied by  a  clap  on  the  shoulder  that 
nearly  took  her  breath  away. 


THE  WINTER'S  WORK    OPENS 


CHAPTER  II. 
THE  WINTER'S  WORK  OPENS. 

IT  took  a  few  weeks  for  Maud  to  be- 
come accustomed  to  her  new  sur- 
roundings. She  had  started  to  the  Art 
School,  and  was  somewhat  humbled  to 
find  that  her  study  at  home,  under  the 
teacher  who  came  twice  a  week  to  her 
little  town,  counted  for  nothing  here ;  and 
she  was  put  on  the  simplest  casts, — 
block  hands  and  feet.  But  Elizabeth 
said  :  "  What  does  it  matter  ?  It  doesn't 
affect  your  ability.  It  only  shows  you 
where  you  stand.  And  there  will  be  more 
honor  in  working  up  from  a  low  class 
than  in  staying  in  a  higher  one  all  year," 
—  a  view  of  the  case  so  cheering  that 


3  2  Camp  Arcady 

Maud  grew  quite  proud  of  the  progress 
she  expected  to  make,  and  saw  herself 
reaching  the  life  class  before  Christmas, 
when  the  instructors  observed  her  won- 
derfully rapid  progress. 

The  classes  Cecilia  and  Elizabeth  had 
expected  did  not  appear.  The  two 
studios  remained  occupied  day  after  day 
only  by  their  owners, —  a  state  of  things 
which  rather  troubled  Maud,  until  she 
found  that  Elizabeth  had  a  regular  in- 
come from  her  little  property.  "  Not 
enough  to  waste  in  riotous  living,"  Sid 
explained,  "  but  enough  to  struggle  along 
on  in  l  dacent  comfort ' ;  and  Cecil  has 
about  a  hundred  in  bank,  so  she  is  all 
right  for  the  present.  As  for  me,  daddy 
sends  me  checks  at  irregular  intervals. 
They  foot  up  anywhere  from  twenty  to 
seventy  dollars.  And,  when  it  is  twenty,  I 


Camp  Arcady  33 

borrow  from  Cecil ;  when  it  is  seventy,  I 
pay  my  debts,  and  treat  the  crowd  for 
interest.  So  don't  fret  your  sympathetic 
little  soul  about  us,  girleen." 

Sid  and  Maud  had  become  great  friends, 
and  many  were  the  confidences  that 
passed  between  the  two  cots  after  the 
lights  were  out  for  the  night  and  the 
other  rooms  silent. 

Maud  had  discovered  behind  the  gay, 
bright,  light-laughing  girl  a  tender,  sym- 
pathetic heart,  saddened  by  a  childhood 
in  truth  fatherless  as  well  as  motherless ; 
for  Sid's  father  was  a  man  too  absorbed 
in  business  to  think  often  about  his  little 
daughter. 

"  I  don't  know  my  folks  very  well," 
Sid  said  frankly.  "  Father  sent  me  to 
boarding-school  when  I  was  a  little  bit  of 
a  thing,  and  there  I  stayed  until  I  was 


34  Camp  Arcady 

eighteen.  Then  I  went  home  awhile, 
but  step-mamma  and  I  weren't  congenial. 
I  hate  teas  and  receptions.  And  I  don't 
think  it  broke  my  folks'  hearts  when  I 
wanted  to  come  and  live  with  Elizabeth 
and  Cecil,  and  study.  They  didn't  in- 
quire very  carefully  what  it  was  I  wanted 
to  study,  and  I  fancy  their  hair  would 
stand  on  end  if  they  knew  my  dramatic 
aspirations." 

Maud,  whose  own  girlhood  had  been 
so  simple  and  healthful  and  sunny,  found 
this  account  heart-breaking  in  its  pathos. 
She  caught  the  undertone  of  hunger  for 
affection,  the  sadness  of  a  life  starved 
of  all  knowledge  of  home  and  home  love; 
and  her  heart  went  out  to  the  wayward, 
impulsive,  lovable  girl.  Sid  returned  the 
friendship  with  an  intensity  that  was 
half  tragic,  half  comic,  and  restrained 


Camp  Arcady  35 

many    a    hasty    speech    that    the  younger 
girl  might  not  be  shocked  or  troubled. 

u  Here's  a  whole  stack  of  letters, " 
cried  Sid,  toiling  up  the  stairs  from  the 
hall  mail-box  one  morning.  "  Come  to 
breakfast,  girls,  and  open  them.  Here's 
Maud's  regular  home  letter,  and  daddy's 
semi-occasional  note  for  me.  A  business 
one  for  Raphael ;  and,  Cis,  you  have  four. 
Who  are  your  numerous  correspondents, 
Saint  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  I  must  own  up,"  said 
Cecilia,  glancing  through  one  note  after 
another,  and  tossing  them  away  as  she 
spoke.  "  My  bank  account  had  dwindled 
to  such  tiny  proportions  that  something  had 
to  be  done.  Putting  cards  in  the  piano 
and  music  stores  didn't  do  any  good.  So 
I  just  put  an  advertisement  in  three  of 


36  Camp  Arcady 

the  daily  papers  :  *  Lessons  given  on  piano 
and  harp  by  me.'  These  seem  to  be  the 
results.  This  one  is  a  piano  circular : 
4  The  B.  C.  D.  piano.  Best  tone/  etc. 
This  one  wants  to  exchange  harp  lessons 
for  French.  The  third  asks  my  price  for 
violin,  which  I  can't  teach.  The  fourth 
is  from  a  gentleman  who  asks  for  refer- 
ences as  to  my  ability,  and  a  personal 
interview." 

"  What's  his  name  ?  "  demanded  Sid. 

"  A  very  romantic  one,  —  Douglas 
Cameron.  I'll  write  to  him  at  once. 
Maybe  he'll  be  the  beginning  of  my  class, 
girls.  Think  of  teaching  a  man  named 
Douglas  Cameron  to  tw«ang  a  harp ! 
Isn't  it  a  Scotch  combination  ?  What's 
your  letter,  Beth  ?  " 

Elizabeth  had  been  thoughtfully  fold- 
ing and  unfolding  her  note ;  and,  as  she 


Camp  Arcady  37 

looked  up,  Cecil  saw  that  her  face  was 
pale  and  somewhat  troubled. 

"  Is  it  bad  news  ? "  she  asked  anx- 
iously. 

u  My  office  building  burned  down  yes- 
terday," answered  Elizabeth.  "  I  de- 
pended on  it  for  my  income ;  and  now  I 
won't  get  a  cent  until  it's  rebuilt, —  six 
months,  at  least." 

"  But  you  have  your  picture  for  the 
Academy,"  said  Maud.  "  Some  one  will 
buy  that,  it's  so  splendid." 

"  Don't  be  too,  sure,  Maud.  One  is 
never  sure  even  of  being  accepted  until  one 
is  hung." 

At  this  somewhat  grewsome  statement 
the  four  faces  became  very  grave  and 
troubled. 

"Ladies,"  said  Sid,  emptying  her  purse 
on  the  table  with  a  dramatic  flourish,  and 


38  Camp  Arcady 

spreading  out  its  contents, —  two  keys,  a 
stub  of  a  pencil,  two  dimes,  and  half  a 
dozen  pennies, — "  when  burdened  with 
financial  anxieties,  just  consider  my  pocket- 
book  your  bank  and  dismiss  all  trouble. 
Make  free  with  this,  my  wealth.  'Tis  all 
I  have  to  give.  Take  it,  take  it  freely, 
and  thank  me  not !  " 

This  munificent  offer  brought  the 
laugh  Sid  wanted  to  hear,  and  the  com- 
mittee broke  up  with  merriment  instead 
of  sadness  and  apprehension. 

Cecil  went  to  write  to  Mr.  Douglas 
Cameron,  Raphael  to  look  over  her  port- 
folios and  select  a  few  studies  that  might 
sell  to  art  dealers,  and  Sid  to  carefully 
consider  ways  and  means,  and  finally 
write  to  her  father  for  "  a  great  big 
check  in  his  next  letter,  as  Christmas  was 
not  far  off  and  presents  to  be  bought." 


Camp  Arcady  39 

Only  Maud,  trudging  gayly  off  to 
school,  felt  no  anxiety.  Elizabeth's  pict- 
ure would  surely  be  accepted  ;  and,  once 
hung,  it  couldn't  help  selling,  and  then 
orders  would  simply  roll  in  and  pile  up, 
she  was  sure.  Elizabeth  was  her  divinity 
and  her  model ;  and  she  had  not  the  slight- 
est idea  what  a  terrible  struggle  life  is  to  a 
penniless,  unknown  artist  in  great  New 
York. 

Worry  never  sat  long  on  Sid's  shoul- 
ders, especially  when  she  had  a  plan  to 
remove  its  cause.  So  by  evening  she  was 
her  own  gay  self  again. 

"  Cecil  had  a  visitor  to-day,"  she  began 
mischievously.  "  He  was  a  most  ro- 
mantic-looking individual,  with  a  yellow 
mustache  and  eyes  that  were  deeply, 
darkly,  beautifully  blue.  Was  he  the 
prospective  pupil,  Cis  ?  Was  he  Douglas 
Cameron,  the  renowned  ?  " 


40  Camp  Arcady 

Cecil  nodded.  "  But  he  isn't  the  pupil 
himself,"  she  added. 

"  More's  the  pity,"  put  in  Sid.  "  I'd 
feel  as  if  a  stage  hero  were  about  if  he 
stalked  solemnly  into  the  building  every 
few  days." 

"  But  he  won't,"  answered  Cecilia. 
"  It's  his  nephew.  In  fact,  your  musical 
1  progeny,'  my  friends,  is  about  to  become 
his  nursery  governess." 

"  Nursery    governess  !    Cis    Howard  !  " 
"  Nonsense,  Cis  !  The  idea  !  " 
"  What  do  you  mean,  Saint  ?  " 
"  It's  this  way,"  said   Cecilia,  flushing 
at  the  exclamations  of  disapproval.     "His 
nephew  is  a  little  lame  fellow,  not  strong 
enough  to  go  to  school   or  even  to  have 
regular  lessons  at  home.      He  is  passion- 
ately fond  of  music ;  and  I  am  wanted  to 
spend    the   mornings   with    him   and   give 


Camp  Arcady  41 

him  such  lessons  as  will  not  tax  his 
strength,  or  read  and  talk  with  him, — just 
something  to  keep  him  employed  and  in- 
terested, without  tiring  him  out." 

There  was  a  chorus  of  wrathful  voices 
as  Cecilia  paused. 

"  To  play  sick-nurse  to  a  child  !  How 
can  you,  Cis  ?  " 

"  And  how  about  your  work  ?  It  will 
have  to  suffer." 

"  And  are  you  going  to  give  up  your 
class  ?  " 

"  The  class  don't  seem  to  present 
a  very  great  obstacle  at  present,"  said 
Cecilia,  with  a  funny  twist  of  her  mouth. 
"  As  for  playing  sick-nurse,  I  like  that, 
you  know.  I  am  never  so  happy  as  when 
I  have  some  one  to  depend  on  me  and  be 
petted.  And  I  have  the  whole  afternoon 
to  myself,  with  a  sure  income  of  $25, 


42  Camp  Arcady 

which,  I  think,  is  generous  for  the  work. 
And,  if  I  dislike  it,  or  find  it  takes  too 
much  time,  when  I  get  my  class,  I  can 
give  it  up.  So  I'm  very  happy  over  it. 
Now  don't  make  me  dissatisfied ! "  ap- 
pealingly. 

"  It's  better  than  nothing,  I  suppose," 
conceded  Sid,  grudgingly  ;  "  and,  when 
Raph's  picture  is  hung,  the  family  pride 
will  be  restored.  We'll  kindly  allow  you 
to  stick  to  your  bargain,  Cis,  if  you'll  be 
real  good." 

Unfortunately  for  Sid's  concession,  the 
family  pride  suffered  a  new  and  ruder 
shock  the  next  week  in  the  rejection  of 
that  all-important  picture. 

"  The  idea  !  "  cried  Sid,  tenderly  dusting 
the  frame  of  the  pearl  which  had  been 
scorned  when  cast  before  the  committee. 
"The  idea,  when  you've  had  a  picture  in 


Camp  Arcady  43 

the  Salon,  of  their  declining  your  work  at 
a  miserable  little  provincial  paint-show  in 
New  York !  " 

"Those  adjectives  don't  apply,  as  you 
know,"  said  Raphael,  stoically. 

"  But  it  was  so  strong  and  original," 
sighed  Cecilia.  "  There  will  be  dozens 
of  things  on  the  walls  that  won't  com- 
pare with  it  in  any  way." 

"  You  overrate  both  me  and  the  paint- 
ing," said  Elizabeth,  patiently.  Then  to 
Maud,  who  was  fairly  sobbing  in  her  dis- 
appointment :  "  Never  mind,  child.  As 
I  told  you  at  the  first  of  the  year,  it 
doesn't  harm  one  to  know  where  she 
really  stands.  I  can  take  my  own  medi- 
cine." 

"  Your  own  nothing  !  "  snapped  Sid. 
"  Don't  you  dare  insinuate  that  painting 
isn't  splendid  !  Those  judges  are  a  set 


44  Camp  Arcady 

of  utter,  unmitigated  idiots  !  "  And  she 
flounced  out  of  the  room,  muttering 
wrathfully. 

Elizabeth  laughed,  and  after  a  moment 
the  two  others  joined  her. 

"She  wouldn't  be  half  so  angry  at 
a  slight  to  herself,  dear,  generous-hearted 
thing  !  "  said  Cecilia. 

"  You'd  better  go  and  smooth  her 
ruffled  feelings,  Cis,"  said  Elizabeth. 
"  Maud,  too.  Maud  can  still  the  tem- 
pest of  Sid's  wrath  quicker  than  any 
of  us." 

She  stood  smiling  until  the  studio  door 
closed  after  the  two,  then  threw  herself 
into  a  chair,  and  buried  her  face  in  her 
hands,  shivering  as  if  with  cold. 

"  Oh,"  she  whispered  under  her 
breath,  "  it  would  have  killed  BIC  if  they 
had  stayed  a  moment  longer !  " 


Camp  Arcady  45 

She  sat  tense  and  quiet  for  a  moment, 
then  drew  away  her  hands  and  stared 
painfully  at  the  painting  she  had  worked 
on  so  lovingly. 

It  was  a  simple  little  scene  :  a  woman 
standing  at  the  window  of  a  farm-house, 
at  work,  her  head  dark  against  the  sunlit 
field  beyond  ;  in  a  spot  of  sunlight  on  the 
floor  a  baby  played. 

"That  head  is  not  good,"  said  Eliza- 
beth, still  in  the  same  strained  whisper. 
"  I  could  have  painted  it  better.  No, 
no," — suddenly  stretching  out  her  hands 
to  her  work, —  "  I  could  not.  I  gave  you 
my  very  best,  and  you  are  better  than 
scores  that  were  accepted.  Oh,  I  must 
not  cry  !  The  girls  must  not  know  how 
this  has  hurt  me." 

She  clenched  her  hands,  and,  forcing 
back  the  tears,  she  rose,  and  paced  up  and 


46  Camp   Arcady 

down  the  room  in  the  gathering  dusk, 
fighting  her  disappointment  bravely,  long- 
ing bitterly  for  help  and  sympathy,  but 
too  proud  to  show  her  hurt  even  to  the 
kindly  eyes  of  her  friends,  and  trying  to 
plan  for  the  coming  month  as  a  means  of 
escape  from  the  feeling  of  humiliation 
and  despair. 

u  I  have  only  sold  one  sketch,  so  far, 
to  the  art  dealers,"  she  pondered.  "  I 
must  try  the  art  magazines.  Then  there 
is  illustrating;  but  they  say  comics  sell 
best,  and  I  never  could  do  comic  things. 
And,  if  it  comes  to  the  worst,  there  is 
advertisement  work  and  poster  drawing. 
I  can  surely  get  them  as  a  last  resort.  I 
will  do  anything, —  anything  imtil  I  gain 
a  foothold,  and  then  "  Her  mouth 

straightened  firmly,  and  her  eyes  shone 
with  renewed  hope  and  energy. 


Camp   Arcady  47 

Each  morning  thereafter,  when  Maud 
started  to  her  school  and  Cecil  to  her 
little  pupil,  Raphael  would  leave  with 
a  bundle  of  sketches  under  her  arm.  She 
carried  paintings  to  every  art  magazine 
she  could  find ;  but  all  were  "  overstocked 
with  oils  "  or  "  water-colors  "  or  "  de- 
signs," as  the  case  might  be.  In  the  last 
room  she  visited  the  attendant  told  her 
loftily,  as  she  handed  back  the  paintings 
with  the  usual  :  "  We  are  overstocked.  It 
isn't  that  the  work  is  bad,  you  know ; 
and,  of  course,  we  should  be  glad  to  have 
you  try  again,  you  know.  But,  you 
know,  some  things  might  be  good  and 
never  take  with  the  public  with  an  un- 
known name  signed  to  'em." 

"  But  how  is  the  name  to  be  known 
unless  some  one  will  publish  it  ?  "  medi- 
tated puzzled  Raphael.  "  Maybe  editors 


48  Camp  A  ready 

would  be  less  particular  about  their  illus- 
trating. I'll  try,  at  any  rate."  So  she 
hunted  out  some  pen  and  ink  drawings, 
and  translated  a  little  French  nursery 
rhyme,  to  which  she  fitted  other  pic- 
tures ;  and  these  she  carried  to  the 
editorial  rooms  of  a  great  children's  mag- 
azine. 

The  elevator  boy  directed  her  to  the 
counter  in  a  great  office.  Thence  she 
was  sent  to  "  the  fifth  door  on  the  right- 
hand  side  of  the  hall."  As  she  passed  the 
other  doors  and  saw  the  groups  of  busy 
workers,  reading,  writing,  silent  and 
absorbed,  her  estimation  of  the  magazine 
rose  and  her  courage  sank.  She  was 
tempted  to  turn  and  flee  from  her  task, 
but  she  stepped  grimly  on.  At  her  re- 
quest for  the  art  editor  she  was  shown  to 
Mr.  Gratewell's  room. 


Camp   Arcady  49 

Mr.  Gratewell  looked  up  absent- 
mindedly  from  his  desk. 

"Eh?  What?"  he  said.  "Oh! 
pray  have  a  chair,  madame.  Can  I  be 
of  service  to  you  ?  " 

Elizabeth  flushed  painfully.  This  lion 
she  was  facing  seemed  to  be  roaring  as 
gently  as  any  sucking  dove,  but  she  was 
still  frightened  and  nervous.  She  sat 
down  on  the  edge  of  the  chair. 

"  I  have  some  drawings  to  show  you," 
she  said  sternly,  her  fingers  fumbling  with 
the  cord  around  her  little  roll. 

"  You've  tied  it  hard,  haven't  you  ? " 
said  Mr.  Gratewell,  pleasantly.  "Never 
mind,"  taking  it  from  her.  "  I'll  cut  the 
string  :  we  have  plenty  more  in  the  office." 

"To  do  them  up  again  ?  "  asked  Eliza- 
beth, with  grim  humor.  "  That  isn't  an 
encouraging  comment, —  before  you've 


50  Camp   Arcady 

examined  them,  too."  The  editor,  who 
was  already  absorbed  in  the  drawings, 
looked  up,  bewildered,  then  laughed  out 
heartily. 

"  It  did  sound  a  little  discouraging," 
he  said ;  "  but  maybe  we  can  get  along 
without  the  string,  after  all.  I  hope 
so,  I'm  sure."  Me  frowned  at  the  draw- 
ings again. 

"  Now  these  —  I  like  this  song.  You 
have  made  a  very  pretty  translation,  and 
the  drawing  is  delightful.  But  we  have 
a  stock  of  cradle  songs  that  would  keep 
the  magazine  going  two  years.  So  I 
can't  take  that.  And  the  pen-and-inks, — 
You  are  a  beginner  at  this  kind  of  thing  ? 
Yes,  I  thought  so.  You  draw  very  well, 
indeed  ;  but  your  stuff  wouldn't  reproduce. 
It  ought  to  be  at  least  four  times  as  large 
as  you  have  it,  and  bolder.  More  —  well, 


Camp   Arcady  5 1 

if  you  don't  mind  the  impertinence,  I'll 
just  give  you  a  little  lesson  in  the  practi- 
cal use  of  pen-and-ink." 

Mind  the  impertinence  ?  Elizabeth 
was  overwhelmed  with  the  honor.  She 
drew  up  her  chair,  beginning  to  feel  more 
at  ease. 

"  You  see,"  continued  Mr.  Gratewell, 
"  we  reduce  these  things  to  about  one- 
fourth  of  their  original  size.  So  you  want 
to  make  the  whole  thing  larger,  as  I  said ; 
and  your  lines  must  be  strong  and  simple, 
like  this"  —  drawing  a  face  with  a  few 
clever  pen-strokes.  "  But  I'll  show  you 
some  of  our  regular  work.  You  will  see 
from  that  what  I  mean." 

So  he  conducted  Elizabeth  through 
several  crowded  offices  to  a  door  marked 
"  No  Admission."  This  he  opened,  and 
waited  for  her  to  enter. 


52  Camp   Arcady 

"These  are  our  original  drawings,"  he 
said. 

He  pulled  out  case  after  case  of  work, 
showed  her  where  this  was  good  and  that 
bad,  and  finally,  after  an  hour's  helpful 
talk,  dismissed  her  with  :  — 

"  We  may  find  one  of  your  drawings 
useful  enough  to  work  over.  I'll  keep 
them  a  few  days,  and  see.  And  you 
mustn't  be  discouraged  if  they  all  come 
back  to  you,  but  try  again.  Try  some 
initial  letters :  they  are  pretty  salable. 
And  —  oh,  yes !  Try  that  cradle  song 
somewhere  else.  It  is  very  good.  I 
wish  you  all  possible  success." 

Poor  Elizabeth  had  had  many  rebuffs 
in  her  search  for  work,  and  had  borne 
them  stoically ;  but  this  kindness  and 
encouragement  where  she  had  expected 
at  best  only  hurried  courtesy  nearly  made 


Camp   Arcady  53 

her  break  down.  She  had  to  bow  herself 
hastily  and  silently  away,  for  fear  the  tears 
would  come  if  she  spoke  or  lingered. 

She  left  the  song  at  another  magazine 
office,  in  charge  of  a  liveried  boy.  Then, 
tired,  but  happy,  she  went  home. 

"  How  kind  he  was,"  she  thought,  as 
she  obediently  began  to  design  initial 
letters,  "to  give  his  time  and  thought 
that  way  to  an  utter  stranger !  I  wish  he 
knew  how  I  appreciate  his  kindness.  I 
used  to  think  editors  were  always  bears, 
but  I  never  will  again." 

"  Raph  !  O  Raphael !  "  called  Sid  from 
the  hall. 

"  What  is  it,  Sid  ?  " 

"  Letter  from  father !  "  said  Sid,  wav- 
ing it  wildly  as  she  appeared.  "  Listen  !  " 
and  she  read  from  the  paper  in  her 
hand  : 


54  Camp   Arcady 

Dear  Daughter, —  Enclosed  find  twenty- 
five  dollars.  I  want  you  to  get  me  a  picture 
for  your  mother's  Christmas.  You  know  more 
about  such  things  than  I.  Select  one  within 
the  limits  of  the  enclosed  check,  and  send  the 
same  to  me  at  office. 

"  Now  have  you  any  little  thing  you 
could  afford  to  sell  for  that  insignificant 
sum  ?  " 

"  I  don't  sell  you  things,"  said  Eliza- 
beth. "  You  may  choose  anything  you 
want  in  that  portfolio." 

"  Never  asked  you  to  sell  me  any- 
thing," said  Sid.  "  It's  daddy ;  and 
you've  got  to  take  the  check,  or  I  won't 
buy  of  you  at  all." 

"  Very  well,  have  it  your  own  way," 
responded  Elizabeth,  in  a  slightly  offended 
tone.  So  Sid  buried  herself  in  sketches, 
and  finally,  with  a  shriek  of  delight, 


Camp   Arcady  55 

seized  upon  a  landscape,  giving  Raph  the 
check  and  an  enthusiastic  hug. 

"  It's  ten  thousand  times  too  good  for 
twenty-five  dollars,  though,"  she  declared, 
as  she  danced  out  of  the  room ;  "  and  I 
know  father  will  be  tickled  to  death  with 
it."  Raphael  contemplated  the  check  with 
a  sigh.  "  I  wish  it  hadn't  come  through 
Sid,"  was  her  first  proud  scruple.  Then, 
"  Dear  girl !  she  did  enjoy  giving  it, 
though ;  and  it  couldn't  have  come  in 
better,  for  I  was  at  my  last  dollar." 

Her  resignation  would  have  been  sadly 
upset  if  she  had  heard  Sid  chuckle  wick- 
edly as  she  burned  the  letter,  which  really 
read  :  — 

Dear  Daughter, —  I  enclose  the  first  instal- 
ment of  your  Christmas  money.  Do  as  you 
please  with  it.  Don't  stint  yourself.  Will 
send  more  by  next  mail. 


56  Camp  Arcady 

"  Now  I  fancy,"  she  soliloquized,  "  that 
was  a  mighty  clever  piece  of  acting. 
Dear,  I'm  glad  she  didn't  ask  to  see  the 
letter !  She  would  sooner  have  cut  her 
head  off  than  take  the  money  if  she  had 
known  !  I  suppose  Maud  would  call 
that  a  lie.  Well,  it  was ;  but  I'm  not  a 
bit  properly  ashamed  of  it,"  with  a  sudden 
decided  nod  of  her  bright  head. 


CHRISTMAS    FESTIVITIES 


CHAPTER    III. 
CHRISTMAS  FESTIVITIES. 

"TT  7HAT  shall  we  do  for  Christ- 
T  V  mas,  girls  ?  "  said  Sid  one  night, 
yawning  dismally.  "  We  haven't  had  a 
lark  for  ages  and  centuries,  and  we  must 
make  some  kind  of  break  away  from 
this  deadly  stagnation  "- 

"  Slangy  creature  !  "  put  in  Maud,  with 
an  affectionate  pull  at  the  brown  curl 
bobbing  over  Sid's  forehead. 

"  Or  we'll  die  of  loneliness,"  finished 
Sid,  making  an  ineffectual  attempt  to  pull 
Maud's  nose  in  retaliation. 

"  Are  you  going  home,  Cis  ?  or  you, 
Infant  ?  " 

"  I  don't  like  that  name,"  protested 
59 


60  Camp  Arcady 

Maud,  "  and  I  won't  have  it.  Of  course, 
I  can't  go  home.  It's  too  far." 

Cecilia  looked  up,  flushing.  "I've  had 
a  plan  simmering  in  my  head  for  some 
time,  girls,"  she  said. 

"  Good !  Let  it  boil  over  at  once," 
cried  Sid,  promptly. 

u  But,  if  any  of  you  don't  like  it,  you 
mustn't  hesitate  to  say  so.  I  won't  care 
at  all." 

"We'll  put  it  to  vote,"  said  Sid. 
"  Attention,  all !  Saint  Cecilia  has  the 
floor —  and  a  plan!  " 

"  I  didn't  want  to  leave  you  three,  you 
see,"  began  Cecilia ;  "  and  I  couldn't  get 
along  without  mother  for  Christmas.  So 
I  thought  we  might  have  her  down,  and 
have  a  real  Christmas  dinner,  all  by  our- 
selves." 

u  Oh,  how  jolly  !  "  cried  Maud. 


Camp  Arcady  61 

"  Isn't  it  fine  ?  "  echoed  Sid.  «  A  real 
Christmas  dinner,  girls,  with  turkey  and 
plum  pudding,  and  "  — 

"  But  my  plan  isn't  finished,"  said 
Cecilia.  "  I  want  to  have  little  John 
Cameron  here,  too.  He's  all  alone  in 
that  big  house,  with  only  Mr.  Cameron 
and  the  servants ;  and  his  lameness  makes 
him  so  shy  that  he  doesn't  get  acquainted 
with  other  children,  and  he  has  no 
mother.  And,  oh  !  he  will  have  such  a 
dreary  Christmas." 

"  He  won't  if  we  can  help  it !  "  cried 
Sid.  "  Of  course,  he  shall  come  if  his 
uncle  will  let  him,  shan't  he,  girls  ?  " 

The  two  heads  nodded  decidedly. 

"  Thank  you,  dears,"  said  Cecilia, 
beaming.  "  He's  such  a  quiet  little 
mouse,  I  know  he  won't  be  a  bother ;  and 
I  do  so  want  to  give  him  a  glimpse  of 


62  Camp  Arcady 

brightness.  If  you  could  just  see  him, 
as  I  do,  so  lonely  in  that  big  house,  with 
his  pain  and  his  shyness.  We're  poor, 
all  of  us ;  but  we're  infinitely  rich  com- 
pared with  that  little  pupil  of  mine,  who 
is  the  heir  of  such  piles  of  money." 

There  were  tears  in  Sid's  eyes,  for  she 
was  always  deeply  touched  by  the  loneli- 
ness of  childhood. 

"  I  move  we  give  the  Saint  a  vote  of 
thanks  for  her  splendid  plan,"  cried 
Maud.  "  All  in  favor  of  a  mission  to  the 
rich  ?  " 

"  I !  "  and  «  I !  " 

"  You're  the  dearest  things  that  ever 
lived,"  said  Cecilia,  fervently. 

So  it  happened  that  Mrs.  Howard  came 
down  the  day  before  Christmas, —  a  little, 
round,  gentle  woman,  with  soft  brown 
eyes  like  Cecil's,  who  shed  an  atmosphere 


Camp  Arcady  63 

of  love  and  home  about  her,  as  she  called 
all  the  girls  "  my  daughters,"  and  kissed 
them  as  tenderly  as  if  they  were  indeed 
her  own. 

Maud,  whose  hom&sickness  had  waxed 
strong  as  the  holiday  season  approached, 
began  to  feel  that  Christmas  away  from 
home  might  be  less  cruelly  hard  than  she 
had  expected  ;  and  Sid  simply  bowed  down 
and  worshipped  at  "  mother's  "  shrine. 

The  girls  had  determined  to  hang  up 
their  stockings  in  the  good  old-fashioned 
way,  the  only  rule  being  that  no  gift 
should  entail  an  outlay  of  more  than  ten 
cents.  There  was  great  fun  on  Christmas 
Eve,  when  the  five  long  stockings  deco- 
rated the  three  door-knobs.  There  was 
much  peeping  from  the  cracks  of  half- 
opened  doors,  dodging  of  ghostly  figures 
behind  screens  and  into  the  kitchen  to 


64  Camp  A  ready 

escape  encounters  with  other  ghosts,  and 
stifled  laughter  as  queer  packages  were 
crowded  into  the  shapeless  stockings  on 
the  door-knobs,  adding  their  distortion 
to  that  of  other  queer  packages  below 
them. 

Then,  in  the  morning,  the  indescrib- 
able charm  of  emptying  the  stiffly 
crammed  stockings. 

There  was  a  gingerbread  man  and  a 
long  red  and  white  candy  cane  apiece 
from  Mrs.  Howard.  Some  "  Heavenly 
Twins "  made  of  black  yarn,  with 
stitches  of  red  silk  for  eyes,  nose,  and 
mouth,  were  fastened  to  the  ends  of 
a  long  piece  of  red  ribbon,  bearing  a  card 
with  this  legend  :  — 

"See  how  funny  we  do  look, 
As  we're  hanging  from  a  book." 


Camp  Arcady  65 

Two  witches  made  of  bits  of  wired 
chenille,  with  tissue  paper  cloaks  and 
hats  and  tooth-pick  brooms,  were  Sid's 
portion.  A  long,  thin  figure,  that  nodded 
its  head  like  a  gloomy  mandarin,  and 
showed  its  empty  pockets,  came  to  Eliza- 
beth. Some  peanuts  painted  as  owls,  and 
perched  on  toothpicks  for  branches,  were 
Maud's  contribution.  And  Elizabeth  had 
added  a  note  of  beauty  in  the  dainty 
water-color  drawings  she  had  given  each 
of  the  others. 

It  took  a  long  time  to  get  breakfast 
that  morning ;  and  there  was  so  much 
laughter  over  the  absurd  presents,  and  so 
much  running  to  see  them  as  they  lay 
spread  out  on  the  model-stand,  that  the 
dishes  were  not  out  of  the  way  when 
John  Cameron  came. 

The  big  eyes  and  crooked,  pitiful  little 


66  Camp  A  ready 

body  won  their  way  straight  to  the  hearts 
of  all  the  girls.  And,  as  for  John,  his  de- 
light in  the  queer  rooms  and  their  bright 
occupants  was  unbounded. 

"  It's  so  much  better  than  the  way 
I  live ! "  he  said  with  a  long  breath. 
"  Oh,  I  wish  I  stayed  here  always  !  " 

He  had  his  own  gingerbread  man, 
a  cane,  and  a  funny  Brownie  made  from 
a  cuff  with  a  ball  inside  of  it,  so  that, 
when  you  put  it  at  the  top  of  a  slanting 
board,  the  ball,  rolling  down,  made  it  turn 
somersaults  to  the  bottom,  where  it  sat, 
grave  and  unsmiling.  And  nothing  he 
had  received  in  all  his  collection  of  toys 
at  home  —  not  even  the  splendid  jack- 
knife  with  four  blades  and  a  corkscrew  — 
was  half  so  charming  to  him  as  that 
Brownie.  His  illness  and  loneliness  had 
kept  him  rather  childish,  so  he  did  not 


Camp  Arcady  67 

realize  that  it  was  rather  beneath  his 
manly  dignity  to  enjoy  so  youthful  a 
toy. 

The  processes  of  getting  .  dinner,  too, 
were  new  and  absorbing  to  him.  The 
turkey  —  noble  bird  that  he  was  —  had 
proven  too  big  for  the  baby  stove.  So 
permission  had  been  gained  to  roast  him 
in  the  janitor's  oven,  which  was  in  the 
back  basement.  But  there  were  potatoes 
to  be  prepared,  and  peas  and  celery  and 
lettuce  ;  and  there  were  mayonnaise  dress- 
ing and  pudding  sauce  to  be  made.  And 
John  hopped  excitedly  from  the  stove, 
with  its  boiling  kettles,  to  the  table 
where  Maud  was  beating  up  oil  and 
lemon  juice. 

And  then,  when  all  was  ready  for  it, 
the  turkey  had  to  be  escorted  out  of  the 
front  basement  door  and  up  the  four 


68  Camp  Arcady 

flights  of  stairs.  There  was  a  regular 
procession  in  his  honor.  First  came  Sid, 
to  open  the  doors ;  then  Mrs.  Howard, 
with  the  turkey  in  the  pan,  carefully  cov- 
ered with  another  pan  to  keep  the  bird 
hot.  Then  came  Maud,  with  a  towel  and 
plate,  useless,  but  anxious,  bringing  up  the 
rear.  Some  people  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street  stared,  amazed,  at  the  sight ; 
and  one  or  two  startled  heads  popped 
from  doors  as  the  procession  passed 
through  the  lower  halls.  But,  bless  you  ! 
that  only  made  things  more  interesting. 

And  that  turkey, —  there  never  was 
such  another  bird !  So  juicy  and  rich 
and  tender !  And  Sid  carved  it  with 
the  air  of  a  perfect  gentleman,  which 
added  to  its  flavor.  And  the  cranberry 
jelly  was  done  to  perfection,  and  the 
mashed  potatoes  light  as  a  puff,  and  the 


Camp  Arcady  69 

plum  pudding,  which  Mrs.  Howard  had 
brought  down  with  her  from  the  country, 
blazed  merrily  around  its  sprig  of  holly ; 
and  the  girls  drank  each  other's  health  and 
John's  in  coffee,  and  were  as  gay  and 
excited  as  if  it  had  been  champagne. 
And  homesickness  fled  from  the  house, 
affrighted. 

And  then  they  ate  nuts  and  raisins, 
with  an  occasional  nibble  at  the  candy 
canes,  while  they  told  stories,  funny  or 
pathetic,  until  the  dusk  fell.  And  then 
came  the  singing,  and  John  must  play 
a  little  Christmas  carol,  and  pipe  it  out  in 
his  pathetic  little  voice. 

And,  when  the  big  carriage  with  its  be- 
furred  coachman  came  for  him  at  last,  he 
shook  hands  with  them  all  round,  and 
told  them  his  Christmas  had  been  "just 
great !  the  jolliest  day  !  "  And  he  clung 


yo  Camp  Arcady 

fast  to  Cecil  at  last,  and  whispered  :  "  Oh, 
I  do  love  you  so  !  You  are  so  good  to 
me!" 

And  she  kissed  him  slyly  behind  the 
door,  with  a  happy  little  break  in  her 
voice  as  she  said  good-night. 

And  all  the  girls  declared  that  there 
never  was  a  more  delightful  Christmas 
than  the  one  they  had  passed  in  those 
four  little  bohemian  rooms,  with  the 
cheap  presents  andv  the  simple  dinner. 


NEW    YEAR'S    TRIALS 


CHAPTER   IV. 
NEW  YEAR'S  TRIALS. 

THERE  seemed  a  big  blank  in  life 
when  the  holiday  season  had  passed. 
The  rooms,  bereft  of  "  mother,"  as 
the  girls  all  called  Mrs.  Howard,  seemed 
very  empty  indeed.  The  girls  felt  like 
chickens  without  any  warm  wings  to 
hide  under,  now  that  she  was  gone 
home. 

Elizabeth's  purse  was  almost  empty 
again.  Her  cradle  song  had  been  re- 
turned to  her,  as  had  the  pen-and-ink 
drawings,  with  the  kindly  message : 
"  Try  again.  You  will,  with  practice, 
make  a  good  illustrator."  This  filled 
her  soul  with  gratitude,  but  had  no  effect 
on  her  empty  pocket.  She  had  written 
73 


74  Camp   Arcady 

to  her  lawyer  to  sell  her  interest  in  that 
unfortunate,  half-rebuilt  office  building, — 
she  had  an  almost  insane  horror  of  bor- 
rowing,—  and  meanwhile  she  tasted  the 
misery  of  being  practically  penniless. 
She  had  not  even  enough  for  the  monthly 
contribution  to  the  camp  treasury.  So 
she  put  in  ten  dollars,  and  told  the  girls 
that  she  would  be  busy  with  illustrating 
and  would  not  be  in  to  dinner.  Eliza- 
beth was  terribly  proud,  with  the  pride 
that  cannot  share  its  anxieties  and  trials, 
though  it  is  ready  indeed  to  share  its  joys. 
Cecil  and  Maud,  busy  with  their  own 
work,  did  not  question  her  statement  at 
all ;  but  Sid,  whose  dramatic  efforts  had 
not  progressed  beyond  putting  her  name 
in  possession  of  a  dramatic  agency  as  one 
in  search  of  a  position,  half  guessed  how 
matters  stood. 


Camp    Arcady  7  5 

She  waylaid  Elizabeth  one  day,  and 
said,  with  comic  distress :  "  Raphael, 
daddy  sent  me  a  whole  eighty  this  month ; 
and  I  haven't  a  place  to  put  it,  and  the 
bank  has  a  lofty  scorn  of  such  micro- 
scopic sums.  Won't  you  take  care  of 
some  of  it  until  I  need  it  ?  I'd  be  ever 
so  much  obliged." 

But  Elizabeth  shook  her  head.  "  Shan't 
touch  it,"  she  said.  "  I'm  not  a  good 
safe  deposit."  And  nothing  would  move 
her,  to  Sid's  wrath  and  disgust. 

"  She  hasn't  any  right  to  be  so  hateful 
and  selfish  and  proud,"  she  soliloquized 
resentfully.  "  I'd  like  to  know  what  the 
Lord  put  us  here  for,  if  not  to  let  our 
friends  help  us.  'Tisn't  fair." 

But  Elizabeth  remained  firm.  One 
of  her  initial  letters  she  sold  to  Mr. 
Gratewell  for  two  dollars.  She  took 


76  Camp  Arcady 

the  cradle  song,  after  at  least  a  dollar 
had  been  spent  on  it  in  postage,  to  a 
queer,  little,  downy-mustached  youth  of 
twenty,  who  was  the  sole  editor  of  a 
queer  little  magazine. 

"  Do  they  say  l  By-lo '  to  babies  when 
they  want  'em  to  go  to  sleep  ?  "  he  asked, 
puzzled  by  the  refrain.  "  I  haven't  any 
of  my  own  ;  and,  you  see,  I  hardly  know 
how  they  do  sing  to  'em." 

Elizabeth's  lips  twitched  as  she  glanced 
at  the  boyish  face,  but  she  assured  him 
that  "  By-lo "  was  very  soothing  to  in- 
fantile nerves. 

So  the  youth  said  :  "  Well,  I  like  the 
song.  I  guess  you  can  leave  it.  I'll 
publish  it  in  —  let  me  see  —  April  or 
May.  Will  ten  dollars  be  all  right  ? 
We  pay  on  publication." 

Elizabeth   left,   feeling    heartsick.     She 


Camp   Arcady  77 

had  only  one  dollar  left,  and  April  was 
two  months  away.  Illustrating  evidently 
would  not  do.  She  would  try  news- 
paper work.  So  she  tramped  from  one 
newspaper  office  to  another  all  the  after- 
noon, and  received  only  a  short  "  Staff's 
full !  No  vacancy ! "  At  last,  in  de- 
spair, she  stopped  at  the  advertising  win- 
dow, and  wrote, — 

WANTED. —  Work  at  any  kind  of  drawing  or 
drafting,  advertisement  or  poster  designing. 
Address  E.  D.,  care  of  the  Morning  News. 

She  paid  thirty-five  cents  of  her  last 
dollar  for  the  publication  of  this  among 
the  "  professional  "  notices. 

It  was  dark  when  she  reached  home. 
Cecil  was  alone,  playing  softly. 

"  Maud  and  Sid  went  to  the  opera 
to-night,"  she  explained,  coming  to 


78  Camp  Arcady 

throw  her  arm  around  Elizabeth,  who 
dropped  wearily  into  a  chair  and  leaned 
her  head  on  her  hand.  "  I  wasn't  rich 
enough  to  go  'long,  so  I  waited  at  home 
for  you.  You  are  awfully  late.  Are  you 
all  tired  out,  dear  heart  ?  " 

Elizabeth  moved  impatiently  beneath 
the  loving  hand ;  and  Cecil,  realizing 
the  weariness,  but  not  divining  the  hope- 
less misery  under  it,  moved  away,  add- 
ing :  "  We  had  oyster  soup  for  supper 
to-night,  and  it  was  so  good  I  saved  you 
some.  I  thought  it  would  brace  you 
up  when  you  came  in,  even  if  you 
weren't  hungry.  Something  hot  rests 
one,  when  she  is  tired." 

Elizabeth  suddenly  realized  that  she 
had  not  had  a  bite  to  eat  since  breakfast, 
and  that  she  was,  indeed,  ravenously 
hungry  as  well  as  tired.  She  silently 


Camp  Arcady  79 

swallowed  the  steaming  soup  and  the 
orange  that  Cecil  brought,  wondering  if 
the  kindly  attention  was  due  to  the  girl's 
having  guessed  her  humiliating  state  of 
beggary. 

Cecil  set  her  fears  at  rest  by  saying : 
"  I'm  so  glad  you  have  a  position,  Raphy. 
I  know  you're  happier  so,  even  if  it  is  a 
hard  one  and  keeps  you  out  late.  One 
gets  to  be  thankful  for  an  income  of  even 
a  few  dollars,  doesn't  she  ?  " 

Then  she  went  back  to  her  piano  and 
her  dreams,  wherein  a  sunny  mop  of 
yellow  hair  and  a  pair  of  mirthful  blue 
eyes  held  more  place  than  she  would 
have  cared  to  own  even  to  herself. 
Cecilia  dreamed  a  great  deal  nowadays,  or 
she  would  have  been  quicker  to  read 
Elizabeth's  weary  face. 

The     month     passed     on.       Elizabeth 


8o  Camp  Arcady 

learned,  after  a  hard  struggle,  that  her 
"  ad."  drawings  were  even  less  acceptable 
than  her  illustrations.  She  could  not 
letter,  and  her  work  had  not  the  "  snap 
and  attractiveness "  that  would  "  catch 
the  eye  of  the  public."  "  The  eye  of 
the  public  "  began  to  be  a  nightmare  to 
her.  Still,  she  managed  to  sell  a  few 
designs  at  half-price,  to  be  worked  over 
by  professionals. 

Her  attempts  at  posters  had  the  same 
fate.  She  could  not  adapt  herself  to  the 
prevailing  Beardsley  craze. 

Her  suppers  for  the  month  had  con- 
sisted of  crackers  and  water,  eaten  in 
strict  secrecy  in  the  studio ;  for  her  pride 
forbade  her  accepting  anything  from  the 
girls,  when  she  could  not  pay  her  share. 
She  let  them  suppose  that  she  dined  in 
restaurants.  Even  Sid  did  not  suspect  the 


Camp  Arcady  81 

extent  of  her  self-privation.  She  grew 
thinner  and  paler,  and  her  eyes  were  piti- 
fully hollow. 

"  She's  working  too  hard,"  soliloquized 
Sid,  the  observant,  thinking  of  her  former 
ruse.  "  I  won't  have  it." 

So,  when  Elizabeth  came  in  one  even- 
ing, she  found  one  of  her  paintings  gone ; 
and  in  its  place  on  the  wall  were  tacked 
three  ten-dollar  bills. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ? "  she  de- 
manded. 

"  It  means,"  said  Sid,  meekly,  "  that 
a  lady  who  saw  father's  picture,  and  liked 
it,  was  in  to-day.  Wanted  a  picture. 
Said  she  couldn't  wait  until  to-morrow,  as 
she  was  to  send  it  to  Philadelphia  on  the 
5.30  train.  So  I  took  the  liberty  of  sell- 
ing her  that,  as  I  once  heard  you  mention 
thirty  dollars  as  the  price."  ("  I  defy  any 


82  Camp  Arcady 

one  to  find  a  fib  in  that,"  she  added 
mentally ;  for  her  former  subterfuge  had 
troubled  her  conscience,  and  she  was  try- 
ing to  keep  within  the  limits  of  facts  in 
this  case.) 

Elizabeth  took  Sid  by  the  shoulders,  and 
looked  into  her  eyes.  "  That's  not  so," 
she  said,  giving  her  a  shake. 

"  It  is  !  "  cried  Sid,  stoutly.     "  It  is  !  " 

"  What  was  the  lady's  name  and  ad- 
dress ?  "  inquired  Elizabeth,  more  mildly. 

Sid  began  to  blush.  «  Oh,  I  —  I  don't 
remember  —  exactly,"  she  stammered. 
She  was  angry  with  herself  for  this 
show  of  embarrassment. 

"  Now  that's  a  fib,  I  know,"  said 
Elizabeth.  "You  took  it.  How  dare 
you,  Sid  Welch  ?  Tell  me  at  once  what 
you  have  done  with  it,  and  take  back  this 
money.  I  won't  have  it  !  " 


Camp   Arcady  83 

"  You  shall !  I  won't !  "  cried  Sid,  in- 
coherently, bursting  into  tears.  "The 
painting  is  on  its  way  to  Philadelphia. 
And  it  was  bought  by  a  lady  who  admired 
father's.  It's  a  pity  —  if  you  can't  sell 
me  —  a  picture  —  as  well  as  some  cold, 
heartless,  unappreciative  thing  from  out- 
side. But  you  can't  help  yourself;  for 
I've  got  the  picture,  and  you  can't  get 
it  back  now." 

Elizabeth  looked  helpless.  "It  isn't 
right,"  she  said  weakly.  Sobs  always 
conquered  her  as  quickly  as  if  she  had 
been  a  man. 

« It  is  !  it  is  !  "  cried  Sid.  "  Oh,  my 
dear,  do  be  good  to  me,  and  let  me  help 
you !  I  have  more  than  I  need ;  and  I 
can't  see  you  killing  yourself  by  inches 
with  work  you  hate,  when  I  know  you 
could  succeed  so  well  if  you  would  only 


84  Camp   Arcady 

borrow  a  little  money.  Don't  be  selfish 
about  it.  Please  don't, —  please  !  " 

Sid's  arms  were  about  Elizabeth,  and 
she  was  pleading  with  all  her  impassioned 
force.  And  Elizabeth  yielded. 

"  Is  it  selfish  ? "  she  said  wearily. 
u  Well,  maybe  you  are  right.  And  I  can 
pay  it  back  when  my  house  sells, —  if  it 
ever  does." 

"  And  you'll  take  it  ?  "  cried  Sid,  dan- 
cing like  a  child  in  her  delight.  "  And 
let  me  share  until  luck  turns  ?  And  paint 
something  for  the  spring  exhibition,  dear  ? 
It  will  get  in  this  time,  I  know." 

Elizabeth  nodded,  with  a  miserable  little 
smile.  She  was  completely  conquered. 
Hunger  and  exhaustion  had  been  Sid's  able 
assistants. 

"  Girls  !  girls  !  "  cried  Maud,  rushing  in. 
"  Oh,  I  wish  we  had  a  window  that 


Camp   Arcady  85 

looked  on  the  street !  These  old  skylights  ! 
Who  do  you  think  is  coming  down  the 
street  ?  " 

"  Who  ?  who  ?  "  queried  Sid,  the  excit- 
able, turning  her  mind  instantly  to  the 
new  subject  of  interest. 

"  It's  Cecilia  —  and  —  Mr.  Douglas 
Cameron  !  "  said  Maud.  "  And  they  were 
talking  so  busily  that  they  didn't  see  me 
at  all,  though  I  walked  along  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  street  for  ever  so  far. 
Doesn'  that  look  romantic  ?  " 

41  Don't,  get  nonsense  into  your  head, 
child,"  said  Elizabeth,  wearily,  "  and  make 
romances  out  of  such  commonplace  cour- 
tesies." 

Maud  looked  a  trifle  resentful. 

"You  needn't  be  so  lofty,"  she  said. 
"  He  has  called  here  three  times  in  the  last 
month,  and  I  know  " 


86  Camp  Arcady 

But  the  entrance  of  Cecil,  with  a  pleas- 
ant, "  What  do  you  know,  Maud  ? " 
stopped  the  discussion.  Maud  and  Sid 
fled  to  the  dining-room,  where  they  whis- 
pered and  laughed  gleefully  to  the  accom- 
paniment of  Cecil's  dreamy  music. 

Elizabeth,  egged  on  by  Sid,  began  to 
make  tentative  sketches  for  her  exhibition 
picture.  She  finally  found  an  arrangement 
that  suited  her, —  the  long,  graceful  figure 
of  a  girl  lying  on  a  couch,  teasing  a  parrot 
on  a  perch  at  her  feet  with  a  peacock's 
feather.  Sid  insisted  on  posing  for  her; 
and  Elizabeth  could  not  refuse,  especially 
as  Sid's  bright  brown  hair  was  "  quite 
ideal  "  against  the  dull  green  of  the  sofa- 
cushion  on  which  her  head  rested. 

The  painting  was  finally  finished,  and 
sent  in  at  the  last  moment.  And,  after 


Camp   Arcady  87 

cruel  weeks  of  waiting,  it  was  accepted. 
Better  still,  it  was  given  one  of  the  best 
places  on  the  walls  and  a  very  good 
notice  in  the  newspapers. 

Mr.  Cameron,  who  had  become  quite 
friendly  with  the  girls  since  the  Christmas 
dinner  episode,  was,  on  his  earnest  plea, 
admitted  to  share  the  Camp  rejoicing,  and 
to  escort  the  girls,  in  their  best  bibs  and 
tuckers,  to  the  private  view.  They  stared 
with  unlimited  delight  at  Raphael's  paint- 
ing, until  the  confused  artist  dragged  them 
away  to  look  at  work  by  more  noted 
people  and  to  be  introduced  to  famous 
folk,  whose  names  Maud  treasured  up  to 
write  home  to  her  people,  that  they  might 
roll  them  as  sweet  morsels  under  their 
tongues. 

Then  they  went  home  to  the  little 
studio  supper,  whose  crowning  dish,  a 


88  Camp   Arcady 

lobster  in  a  nest  of  crisp  green  lettuce, 
had  been  ordered  by  Sid  from  the  "  best 
place  in  town,  as  nothing  was  too  good 
to  celebrate  Raphael's  triumph." 

Raphael,  somewhat  amused  and  em- 
barrassed as  well  as  touched,  was  queen 
of  the  festive  board,  and  sat  at  the  head  of 
the  table,  crowned  with  a  wreath  of  wax 
olive  leaves  that  usually  adorned  the 
studio  dummy.  There  was  plenty  of 
hearty  pleasure  in  this  her  first  success ; 
and  there  were  prophecies  that  it  was 
only  the  turning  of  the  tide  of  fortune, 
which  would  soon  flow  strong  her  way. 

Indeed,  it  seemed  that  the  prophecies 
were  right ;  for  only  the  next  day  came  a 
caller.  Elizabeth  received  him  with  due 
dignity  in  her  studio,  where  the  two  stayed 
a  long  time.  The  noise  of  the  moving  of 
pictures  and  the  rise  and  fall  of  voices  in 


Raphaelina. 


Camp  Arcady  89 

conversation  floated  out  to  the  girls,  who 
were  in  Cecilia's  room,  dancing  softly  with 
curiosity  and  excitement,  and  speculating 
wildly  on  the  nature  of  "  that  man's " 
business. 

"  For  he  is  rich,"  said  Sid.  "  One  could 
tell  that." 

"  And  he  has  a  splendid  face,"  said 
Cecil.  "  Such  nice  white  hair  and  kindly 
eyes  !  " 

"  She's  going  to  the  door  with  him," 
whispered  Maud,  kneeling  to  peer  through 
the  keyhole.  "  Oh,  I  wish  they  wouldn't 
talk  so  long  !  " 

"  How  beautifully  he  bows  !  "  mur- 
mured Sid,  who  had  taken  Maud's  place 
at  the  keyhole.  Then,  as  the  door  closed, 
they  all  burst  at  once  into  the  little  hall. 
Raphael  was  leaning  against  the  wall, 
looking  very  calm,  except  for  the  tell-tale 


90  Camp  Arcady 

brilliancy  of  her  eyes  and  the  tremor  of 
her  hands. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  "  "  Did  he  give  you 
an  order  ?  "  "  What  did  he  want  ?  "  they 
demanded,  all  in  one  breath. 

"  My  exhibition  picture  is  sold,"  she 
answered  quietly. 

With  three  simultaneous  shrieks  of 
delight  they  fell  upon  her,  wringing  her 
hand,  patting  her  back,  and  talking  all  at 
once  in  their  delight.  She  quite  disap- 
peared for  a  moment  under  the  avalanche 
of  excited  girls,  then  emerged,  dishevelled 
and  red. 

"  And  he  wants  me  to  paint  his  por- 
trait, and  we're  to  begin  Wednesday." 

Another  demonstrative  chorus  of  de- 
light. 

"  And  he  gave  me  a  check  in  part  pay- 
ment," Elizabeth  went  on,  losing  her 


Camp  Arcady  91 

self-control  for  a  moment,  and  waving  it 
wildly ;  "  and,  O  Sid,  Sid,  it  will  pay  all 
my  debt  to  you,  and  leave  me  all  I  need 
for  months  !  " 

Sid  flushed.  "  Now,  Raph,"  she  said 
wrathfully,  "  you  hush !  That's  our 
secret." 

"  No  !  I  shall  tell  them  now,"  cried 
Elizabeth,  struggling  with  the  fingers 
wherewith  Sid  vainly  tried  to  close  her 
mouth.  "  They  ought  to  know.  Girls, 
she  watched  me  when  I  was  struggling  so 
and  repelling  all  help  and  sympathy, 
because  I  was  so  wickedly  proud ;  and 
finally,  as  she  couldn't  do  anything  with 
me  by  fair  means,  she  stole  —  actually 
stole  —  a  picture  from  my  walls,  and  left 
some  bills  in  its  place.  And  she  made 
me  keep  them,  and  has  given  me  more 
and  more,  and  posed  for  me  and  made  me 


92  Camp  Arcady 

work  for  this  exhibition.  And  that  it  has 
been  a  success  is  all  her  doing, —  all. 
And  the  money  I  can  give  back,  but 
what  she  has  done  " —  Elizabeth  paused. 
Her  face  was  beautifully  tender  and 
humble.  "  I  can  never  repay  you,  Sid," 
she  said  in  a  low  voice. 

But  Sid  had  fled ;  and  the  girls,  follow- 
ing her,  found  her  in  Cecil's  room,  with 
her  head  buried  in  a  sofa-pillow.  She  sat 
up,  laughing,  but  with  a  very  red  and 
somewhat  tear-stained  face. 

"  O  Sid,  I  didn't  mean  to ! "  cried 
Raph,  in  consternation,  going  down  on 
her  knees  beside  her  friend.  "  I  didn't 
think  you'd  mind  so  much  !  " 

"  What  a  dramatic  tableau  !  "  laughed 
Sid,  with  a  little  catch  in  her  breath. 
u  Here,  cruel  tyrant,  I  forgive  you.  But  it 
wasn't  fair,  Raphy, —  it  really  wasn't  fair. 


Camp  Arcady  93 

And,  as  I  feel  somewhat  tumbled  up  in  my 
mind  with  all  this  excitement,  I'm  going 
to  calm  down  by  journeying  to  see  about 
a  position  the  dramatic  agent  wrote  me 
about.  Cecil  has  her  class  "  ("  Of  one  !  " 
put  in  Cecil),  "  Raphael  is  going  to  be 
rushed  with  portraits  and  things,  and 
Maud  is  improving  each  shining  hour. 
I'm  the  only  drone  in  the  hive,  and  I 
really  feel  that  I  must  reform.  Good-by, 
all."  And  she  departed  with  a  gay  nod. 

"  Just  like  my  dear,  generous  girl,"  said 
Maud,  looking  affectionately  after  her. 

"  She  is  the  best  soul  that  ever  lived," 
said  Cecil,  warmly  ;  "  but  wouldn't  she  be 
angry  if  you  said  so  to  her  ?  " 

Raphael  said  nothing,  but  her  looks 
were  eloquent. 


SID  HAS  ADVENTURES 


CHAPTER   V. 

SID  HAS  ADVENTURES. 

u  T  T  7" ANT  to  hear  the  story  of  my 
V  V  day's  adventures,  girls  ?  "  inquired 
Sid,  as  the  four  were  lounging  in  the 
studio  that  evening.  Of  course,  they  wel- 
comed the  suggestion  with  delight.  It 
was  just  the  proper  hour  for  tales. 

"  Well,"  Sid  began,  "  when  I  left  you, 
I  went  to  the  dramatic  agent  to  see  about 
that  position  ;  and  the  D.  A.  referred  me 
to  Mr.  Duke,  of  the  Sixth  Avenue  Theatre. 
So  I  trotted  over  to  Sixth  Avenue.  The 
first  thing  Mr.  Duke  did  was  to  address 
me  as  l  My  dear '  !  I  looked  daggers  at 
him,  but  it  didn't  affect  him  in  the  least. 
I  suppose  he's  used  to  stage  daggers,  and 
97 


98  Camp  Arcady 

thought  they  were  that  kind.  He  inquired 
where  I'd  played  before.  That  wilted  me  ; 
and  I  meekly  told  him,  l  Nowhere.' 

"  l  Hum-m,  that's  bad.  What  the  mis- 
chief did  Brown  mean  by  sending  me  a 
green  girl  ? '  he  said.  '  I  wanted  you  for 
Evaline  in  my  new  spectacular ;  but,  if 
you  ain't  been  on  before —  Say,  let's 
see  you  march,  m'  dear.' 

"  I  was  mad  as  a  hornet,  but  I  trotted 
up  and  down  the  room ;  and  presently 
he  shouted :  c  Got  it,  sure  enough !  I 
guess  I  can  give  you  something,  after  all. 
I'll  bill  Nell  White  for  Blanche's  place, 
and  let  you  go  in  the  chorus  ! '  In  the 
chorus,  indeed  ! 

"  I'd  heard  I  was  to  take  the  place  of 
some  one  who  had  a  fall.  So  I  said,  l  Is 
Blanche  the  woman  who  was  hurt  ? ' 

" '  Yes,    m'     dear,'     said     Mr.     Duke. 


Camp    Arcady  99 

'Blanche  Pradu,  'twas.  Sorry  to  lose 
her,  too, —  mighty  sorry  :  migh-ty  sorry.' 

"  Well,  it  suddenly  flashed  over  me  that 
Blanche  was  an  old  school  friend  of  mine, 
who  had  married  an  actor  a  few  years  ago 
and  was  disowned  by  her  family  in  conse- 
quence,—  the  old  story. 

"Meanwhile  Mr.  Duke  was  saying: 
'  We  may  as  well  settle  this  at  once,  m' 
dear.  Just  sign  your  name  here.  You'll 
lead  the  chorus  at' — 

"ll  beg  your  pardon,  sir,'  I  said  loftily. 
'You  are  mistaken.  I  have  no  intention 
of  leading  your  chorus  or  any  chorus,  nor 
of  playing  at  any  time  for  a  manager  who 
treats  his  employees  with  the  insulting 
familiarity  you  have  used  toward  me. 
When  I  go  on  the  stage,  it  will  be  under 
a  manager  who  understands  the  conduct 
expected  from  a  gentleman.'  And  I 


ioo  Camp  Arcady 

marched  out  with  my  head  up  high,  and 
banged  the  door.  I  heard  him  drop  into 
a  chair,  and  gasp  out  :  l  Highly,  tighty  ! 
Bless  —  my  —  soul ! '  as  if  my  righteous 
indignation  had  quite  overcome  him." 

Sid  had  told  her  story  well,  mimicking 
herself  and  Mr.  Duke  by  turns ;  and  the 
girls  laughed  heartily  over  the  comical 
amazement  of  the  discomfited  manager. 

"I  stopped,"  went  on  Sid,  "just  long 
enough  to  get  Blanche's  address ;  and  then 
I  shook  the  dust  of  the  building  from  my 
shoes  forever,  and  started  to  hunt  her  up. 
I  found  her  up  in  a  miserable  little  tenement 
house,  where  she  lives  with  another  mem- 
ber of  the  l  perfession.'  And,  girls,  I 
declare  the  sight  of  them  in  that  horrible 
little  hole  made  me  want  to  renounce  the 
stage  forever." 

"  You,  who  have  always  been  such  a 
faithful  devotee  of  it !  "  teased  Maud. 


Camp  Arcady  101 

Sid  pulled  her  long  braid  for  punishment, 
and  went  on  : — 

"  They  wanted  to  take  Blanche  to  the 
hospital  when  she  was  hurt,  but  she 
couldn't  bear  to  leave  her  child  with 
strangers.  Her  husband  is  dead,  and  she 
has  nothing  to  depend  on  but  her  own 
work ;  and,  since  the  accident,  of  course 
that  is  gone.  So  the  other  members  of 
the  c  perfesh '  took  up  a  collection,  and 
made  quite  a  purse  for  Blanche  and  the 
baby  ;  and  that  impertinent  manager  headed 
the  list  with  fifty  dollars.  Wasn't  that 
splendid  of  him  ?  " 

"That  was  nice,"  said  Maud. 

"  Was  Blanche  seriously  hurt  ?  "  asked 
Cecilia. 

u  What  did  you  do  ?  "  queried  Raphael. 

"  I  ?  Oh,  nothing  but  talk  awhile,  and 
promise  to  come  again  and  see  her  occa- 


IO2  Camp  Arcady 

sionally.  I'm  afraid  the  hurt  is  rather 
serious,  Cis.  They  don't  seem  to  be 
very  sure  about  it,  and  she  looks  badly. 
But  wasn't  it  lucky  I  found  her  ?  I  used 
to  be  so  fond  of  Blanche.  She  was  one 
of  those  soft  little  things  every  one  feels 
bound  to  take  care  of,  you  know." 

41  Lucky  for  her,"  said  Raphael,  sotto 
voce. 

"  Hasn't  any  one  else  a  story  ?  "  asked 
Cecil.  "  I  want  to  hear  some  more." 

"  Ladies,"  said  Maud,  bowing  in  imita- 
tion of  Sid's  best  stage  manner,  "be- 
hold me !  I  was  promoted  to  heads 
to-day  !  " 

"  What  do  you  mean,  child  ? "  de- 
manded Cecil. 

"  Oh,  given  leave  to  draw  heads  in- 
stead of  hands  and  feet,  which  I've  been 
on  all  winter,"  said  Maud.  "  I  didn't 


Camp  Arcady  103 

think  it  would  take  so  long  to  make  any 
progress.  I  expected  to  be  drawing  from 
life  by  this  time.  But  c  art  is  long, 
and  '  "  — 

"  Now,  Maud  !  " 

"  O  Maud  be  merciful !  " 

"  Don't  impose  that  antique  on  us, 
Infant !  " 

"  I  won't,"  said  Maud,  obligingly,  "  if 
any  one  else  has  any  news.  What  have 
you  done  to-day,  Raphael ina  ?  " 

"  Fixed  my  portrait  canvas,"  replied 
Raphael,  laconically. 

"  You  begin    to-morrow,  don't  you  ?  " 

Raphael  nodded. 

"  Well,  my  deary,"  said  Cecil,  "  may 
your  wark  be  a  braw  success,  and  may 
fame  and  fortune  be  wi'  ye  !  " 

Sid  laughed.  "  How  Scotch  Cis  is  get- 
ting !  "  she  said.  "  I  saw  a  new  volume 


IO4  Camp  Arcady 

of  songs  on  her  piano.  So  I  opened  it ;  and 
there  was  l  Bonnie  Leslie,'  and  c  Scots 
wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  bled,'  and  lWeel 
may  the  Keel  row,'  and  a  lot  of  other 
dear  old  ballads.  Where  did  you  get  it, 
Cis  ? " 

"  John  gave  it  to  me,"  replied  Cecil, 
composedly ;  "  but  I  fancy  his  uncle 
bought  it."  There  are  some  fine  old  bag- 
pipy  airs  in  it.  Come  into  my  room,  girls, 
and  try  them." 

As  they  followed  Cecil,  Maud  looked 
meaningly  at  Sid  and  raised  one  eyebrow 
comically,  to  which  peculiar  telegraphic 
signal  Sid  responded  by  a  frown  and  a 
violent  shake  of  the  head. 

"You'll  see,"  whispered  Maud.  "Just 
wait !  " 


Camp  Arcady  105 

The  days  were  very  busy  ones  now  in 
Camp  Arcady.  Cecil  and  Maud  were 
away, —  the  one  with  her  little  pupil,  to 
whom  she  gave  more  time,  as  her  class 
showed  no  sign  of  increasing,  the  other 
working  desperately  at  her  drawing;  for 
she  had  expected  to  do  so  much,  and 
what  she  had  done  seemed  so  pitifully 
little  that  it  seemed  to  her  she  made  no 
progress. 

Raphael  was  busy  with  her  portrait ; 
and  already  —  such  is  the  virtue  of  one 
success  —  the  number  of  visitors  to  her 
studio  had  made  it  expedient  for  her  to 
institute  an  "  at  home  "  day. 

A  big  upright  easel  and  other  marks  of 
prosperity  appeared  in  her  studio ;  and  she 
began  to  take  on  a  becoming  air  of  cheer- 
fulness, and  to  look  less  lean  and  hungry. 

Sid    was    also    much    away.     She    said 


106  Camp  Arcady 

she  had  "  found  some  work,  but  wouldn't 
tell  about  it, —  not  just  yet."  So  the 
girls  perforce  waited,  and  smiled  and 
wondered  over  the  little  mystery. 

"  What  can  keep  Sid  ?  "  said  Maud, 
anxiously,  one  evening,  as  she  opened 
the  hall  door  for  the  twentieth  time. 
"  Her  supper  has  been  waiting  an  hour, 
and  it's  all  spoiled.  She  isn't  usually  so 
late." 

"  She  went  to  visit  that  friend  of 
hers  —  Blanche  —  again,"  observed  Ra- 
phael. "  She  has  spent  most  of  her  time 
there  for  the  last  few  weeks." 

u  Oh,  that's  her  work  that  she  talks 
about  so  mysteriously,  is  it  ? "  cried 
Maud. 

"  I'm  just  beginning  to  understand  Sid," 
said  Cecilia,  meditatively ;  "  and  I  don't 
believe  she  will  ever  go  on  the  stage." 


Camp   Arcady  107 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

u  Acting  is  too  abstract  for  Sid.  She 
enjoys  doing  it  for  fun  or  charity ;  but 
she  hasn't  enough  of  the  —  the  —  oh,  I 
can't  explain  it,  but  she  can't  take  it  in  a 
cold,  unimpulsive,  professional  spirit.  Sid 
was  meant  to  make  life  brighter  for 
people  just  by  living.  She  is  a  dear 
sweet  girl,  but  she  hasn't  the  self-centred- 
ness  of  an  artist." 

Raphael  laughed  at  this  lucid  explana- 
tion, tipped  by  a  wholly  original  word. 

"  That's  about  as  clear  as  mud,  Cissy," 
she  said. 

u  There's  Sid's  step  now  !  "  cried  Maud, 
running  to  the  door.  "  My  dear  girl, 
where  in  the  world  have  you  been  ?  I 
was  getting  so  anxious  —  Why,  Sid 
Welch "  (in  a  different  tone),  "  what 
have  you  got  in  your  arms  ?  " 


io8  Camp  Arcady 

Sid  walked  over  to  the  couch  and  laid 
down  her  burden,  whose  nature  was  so 
obvious  as  to  make  Maud's  question 
unnecessary,  and  then  turned  and  looked 
at  the  girls  with  a  funny  mixture  of  trep- 
idation, defiance,  and  amusement  in  her 
expressive  face.  Her  eyes  were  red  as  if 
with  recent  tears ;  and  her  lips  twitched  as 
though  her  sadness,  hardly  under  control 
yet,  was  mixed  with  a  strong  sense  of 
absurdity. 

"  Why  —  why,"  cried  Cecil,  bending 
over  the  couch,  "  it's  a  "  — 

"Hush!"  said  Sid.  "Talk  lower. 
Yes,  it's  a  baby.  And  I  wouldn't  waken 
it  if  I  were  you, —  unless  you  know 
better  what  to  do  with  it  than  I  do." 

"  Where  did  you  find  it  ? "  queried 
Elizabeth,  as  she  touched  the  rosy  cheek 
softly.  She  spoke  as  if  babies  might  be 


Camp   Arcady  109 

picked  up  on  the  streets,  like  stray  kit- 
tens. 

"  It  was  Blanche's,"  said  Sid,  with  a 
little  sob.  "  She  died  to-day." 

"  Poor  child  !  "  whispered  Cecil.  "  Poor 
little  child  !  " 

"  She  begged  me  to  take  it  to  her  father," 
went  on  Sid.  "  She  thought  that,  though 
he  would  never  see  her  after  her  marriage, 
his  anger  couldn't  extend  to  the  little  one, 
and  there  was  no  one  else  to  take  care  of 
it.  I  didn't  know  what  to  do  with  a 
child  at  all,  but,  when  she  begged  me,  I 
couldn't  say  no ;  and  it  made  her  so  happy. 
But,  O  my  little  girl,  my  poor  little  girl, 
you  have  a  sad  heritage  !  " 

As  Sid  bent  over  the  couch,  the  blue 
eyes  opened,  the  little  hands  went  out 
appealingly.  She  gathered  the  child  in 
her  arms ;  and,  with  a  soft  murmur  of 


no  Camp  Arcady 

rt  Nanny  Siddy,"  the  curly  head  drooped 
on  her  shoulder,  and  Baby  was  asleep 
again.  Sid  stood  for  a  moment,  looking 
down  at  her,  then  carried  her  away  with 
an  expression  on  her  face  that  the  girls 
had  never  seen  there  before. 

The  room  was  very  silent  for  a  little 
while.  Maud  looked  stealthily  at  Cecil, 
and  caught  her  wiping  her  eyes  behind  the 
piano  lid.  Raphael  was  staring  hard  at 
vacancy,  with  set  lips.  Maud,  therefore, 
thought  it  best  to  study  the  figures  in  the 
Turkish  rug  with  deep  attention. 

"  She  is  sleeping  ever  so  sweetly,"  said 
Sid,  coming  back  at  last.  "  I  never  had  a 
baby  in  charge  before.  I  didn't  know  how 
they  looked  when  they  slept.  They're 
beautiful." 

u  She  seemed  pretty  friendly  with  you. 
She  called  you  4  Aunty  Siddy,'  "  observed 
Maud. 


Camp  Arcady  1 1 1 

"  And  nestled  up  to  you  as  though  she 
were  quite  at  home,"  added  Cecil. 

"  She  took  a  great  fancy  to  me  from  the 
first,"  said  Sid.  "  I  always  thought  I'd 
like  children,  but  I  never  knew  enough 
about  'em  to  be  sure.  I'm  mortally  afraid 
I'll  hurt  their  little  bodies  or  their  little 
feelings.  I  don't  know  what  to  do.  I'm 
actually  afraid  of  her.  Cecil,  Maud, 
you'll  have  to  help  me,  or  I'll  do  her  some 
awful  damage,  I'm  sure." 

"You  don't  ask  me  to  help,"  said  Eliz- 
abeth, in  a  ruffled  tone.  Whereat  the 
others  laughed. 


SID'S    BABY 


CHAPTER   VI. 

SID'S  BABY. 

"T"T'S  Saturday,  girls,"  said  Sid,  as  she 
JLstood  drumming  on  the  kitchen  win- 
dow one  morning.  "  You're  free,  Cecil ; 
Maud  can  take  a  holiday,  so  can  Raph ; 
and  I'm  constitutionally  at  leisure.  Let's 
take  Blanche  to  the  park." 

The  motion  was  adopted  by  acclamation. 
And  Maud,  "  like  a  well-conducted  per- 
son," was  soon  u  cutting  bread  and  butter  " 
for  the  lunch  basket,  while  Sid  scrubbed 
Blanche's  face,  and  Raph  and  Cecil  got 
the  coats  and  hats. 

In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  it  the 
merry  party  piled  on  top  of  the  rickety 
stage,  and  started  on  their  long,  jolly, 

"5 


1 1 6  Camp  Arcady 

jolty  ride.  It  was  a  beautiful  day.  The 
trees  in  the  squares  were  in  tiny  leaf, 
looking  like  delicate  lacework  against  the 
sky.  Here  and  there  a  wistaria  hung  its 
purple  tassels  up  the  front  of  some  old 
house  on  a  side  street ;  and  Maud,  looking 
at  them  with  misty  eyes,  thought  of  a 
certain  little  house  out  West.  How  the 
front  of  it  was  covered  last  spring  with 
that  tender  green  and  purple  !  She  gulped 
a  little,  and  turned  to  spar  desperately 
with  Sid. 

They  reached  the  park  at  last ;  and 
Blanchette,  with  shrieks  of  delight,  made 
excursions  on  the  soft  grass,  only  to  run 
hack  to  "  Nanny  Siddy  "  with  a  dandelion, 
a  blade  of  grass,  or  a  tiny  pebble.  Sid 
had  lost  the  awkwardness  of  ignorance,  as 
the  baby  clung  to  her  and  would  have  no 
other  waiting-maid,  although  she  gra- 


The  Baby. 


Camp  Arcady  117 

ciously  bestowed  smiles  on  Maud  and 
Cecilia,  and  grave,  half-awed  attention  on 
Elizabeth.  Nanny  Siddy  was  hers,  her 
own  ;  and,  when  she  mourned  in  her  baby 
way  for  "  marmar,"  only  Nanny  Siddy 
could  comfort  her.  Sid  accepted  this  with 
comical  wonder.  "  For  I'm  not  the  sweet 
creature  one  would  expect  a  baby  to  cling 
to,"  she  said  humbly.  But  she  soon 
grew  to  feel  it  the  most  natural  thing  in 
the  world  for  a  little  hand  to  nestle  in  her 
own  or  drag  at  her  skirt,  for  a  little  foot 
to  follow  her,  and  a  baby  voice  demand  a 
hundred  hourly  attentions  to  "  B'anchie  " 
or  "  Dollie." 

"  My  dear,  I  quite  like  it,"  she  said. 
"  I  wish  you  never  had  invested  in  a 
grandfather.  They  are  not  proper  pos- 
sessions for  one  so  young." 

When  noon  came,  the  girls  spread  their 


1 1 8  Camp  Arcady 

lunch  on  a  park  bench  in  a  sequestered 
nook ;  and,  having  despatched  it  with  vig- 
orous appetites,  they  yielded  to  Blanche's 
plea  to  "  see  ve  animals,"  and  strolled 
slowly  toward  the  lower  end  of  the  park. 

"  Why,"  cried  Maud,  suddenly,  as  they 
turned  into  a  new  pathway,  "  there's 
John  ! " 

"  And  Mr.  Cameron,"  added  Cecilia, 
with  a  quick  instinctive  smoothing  of  her 
ruffled  locks. 

The  gentleman  behind  the  wheeled 
chair  bowed  and  smiled,  and  the  little  boy 
in  its  depths  waved  his  hat  and  shouted 
gayly. 

"  Hurrah  !  isn't  this  splendid  ?  "  he  said 
with  satisfaction,  as  the  two  parties  met 
and  shook  hands. 

"  I  echo  John,"  said  Mr.  Cameron. 
u  I  haven't  seen  any  of  you  for  a  long 


Camp  Arcady  119 

while, —  not  since  the  little  celebration  at 
the  beginning  of  Miss  Danton's  great- 
ness. I  hear  her  name  on  all  sides  now." 

Blanche  was  formally  introduced ;  and, 
instantly,  to  John's  delight,  she  clam- 
bered into  the  chair,  and  stared  solemnly 
at  him  as  the  best  way  of  making  friends. 

"  Where  were  you  going  ?  "  inquired 
Mr.  Cameron. 

"Taking  Baby  to  see  the  animals," 
said  Cecilia.  "  A  day  in  the  park  isn't 
perfect  for  a  child  without  that." 

"John  and  I  were  strolling  aimlessly. 
May  we  go  with  you  ?  and  then  the  little 
one  can  ride." 

They  made  room  for  him  on  the  path- 
way, and  walked  on,  talking  of  the  beauty 
of  the  day  and  the  freshness  of  the  park. 

"  But  it's  only  a  park,  after  all,"  Maud 
sighed,  "  and  only  makes  one  long  the 


iio  Camp  Arcady 

more  for  some  real  wilds,  where  one  can 
pull  flowers  without  thinking  of  police- 
men, and  run  over  acres  of  grass,  if  one 
wants  to." 

"There  speaks  the  girl  of  the  free 
West,"  said  Mr.  Cameron. 

u  Maud  is  tired  of  the  flesh-pots  of 
Egypt,"  laughed  Sid,  who  was  walking 
ahead,  listening  by  turns  to  the  chatter 
of  Blanche  and  John  and  the  scarcely 
graver  conversation  behind  her.  "  Maud 
wants  forty  years  in  the  wilderness,  or 
thinks  she  does ;  but  she  will  tire  of  her 
wilderness  in  a  few  months,  and  be  ready 
for  the  flesh-pots  again." 

"  No,  I  won't,"  said  Maud,  positively. 
"Never  again." 

Mr.  Cameron  smiled.  "  Look,  Miss 
Maud,"  he  said,  pointing  to  a  tree  covered 
with  tropical-looking,  waxy  flowers  of 


Camp   Arcady  121 

pink  and  white.     "  Is  there  anything   so 
beautiful  in  your  Western  wilds  ?  " 

Maud  laughed,  but  shook  her  head. 

"  An  apple-tree  is  sweeter,"  she  said. 

"  You  are  loyal ;  and  I  think  you're 
right.  I  have  a  whole  orchard  of  apple- 
trees  up  the  river,  a  few  miles ;  and  I 
don't  know  a  sight  more  beautiful  than 
that  orchard  in  bloom." 

Maud  drew  a  long  breath. 

u  Will  you  come  and  see  them  ? "  he 
added. 

"  Oh,  oh  !  could  we  ?  "  cried  Maud. 
4  Could  we  arrange  it,  Miss  Howard  ?  " 
he  asked,  turning  to  Cecilia.  "  I  can 
send  the  carriage  to  take  you  to  the  wharf 
some  day,  when  the  trees  are  at  their 
best ;  and  we  can  go  up  the  river  in  Mr. 
Strong's  launch,  which  is  always  at  my 
disposal.  Mrs.  Strong  will  go  with  us, 


122  Camp  Arcady 

I'm  sure ;  and  it  will  be  a  great  pleasure 
to  me,"  he  added  earnestly. 

The  girls  looked  at  one  another,  breath- 
less with  delight ;  but  their  radiant  faces 
left  no  doubt  of  their  answer,  and  Mr. 
Cameron  was  satisfied. 

u  Then  it's  settled,"  he  said  gayly ; 
"  and  we  will  arrange  for  Thursday  week 
if  you  like." 

They  wandered  through  the  menagerie, 
laughed  at  the  ungainly  camels  and  the 
funny  monkeys,  listened  to  the  roar  of  the 
lions,  and  threw  peanuts  to  the  deer. 
Then  Mr.  Cameron  bought  a  great  bunch 
of  lilacs  for  Maud,  and  another  for  Blanche, 
put  the  girls  on  the  stage,  and  watchc.1 
with  a  quizzical  smile  until  they  were  out 
of  sight. 

"  Which  do  you  like  best,  John  ?  "  he 
asked. 


Camp  Arcady  123 

"  Miss  Howard,"  responded  John, 
promptly. 

«  Why  ?  " 

"  Miss  Danton  looks  as  if  she  could  do 
things,  and  Miss  Welch  is  real  nice  and 
funny,  and  Miss  Maud  is  pretty  ;  but,  some- 
how, they  aren't  any  of  them  as  sweet  as 
my  Miss  Howard,"  said  John,  somewhat 
at  a  loss  to  explain  himself.  And  again  Mr. 
Cameron  smiled. 

"You  are  a  lad  of  excellent  judgment, 
John,"  he  said  with  conviction. 

Cecilia  was  dreamy  that  night,  Elizabeth 
thoughtful,  and  Sid  preoccupied.  Both  of 
them  watched  Cecil  gravely.  Maud  grew 
a  little  tearful  as  she  put  her  lilacs  in  water, 
holding  them  against  her  face  to  hide 
her  trembling  lips  and  whispering  to  their 
fragrant  petals, — 

"  O  mother,  I  do  want  you  so  !  " 


124  Camp  Arcady 

As  for  Blanche,  she  felt  that  she  was 
singing  "  Tinkle,  tinkle,  'ittle  'tar,"  to  a 
very  unappreciative  audience.  So  she  fell 
asleep  during  the  interval  between  the  two 
verses,  with  her  head  in  Sid's  lap. 

The  next  evening  Cecilia  and  Maud, 
coming  home  together  at  tea-time,  found 
their  small  domain  in  confusion.  Sid  was 
ramping  and  roaring  through  the  hall  and 
studio,  red  and  wrathful,  shaking  her  fist 
at  an  imaginary  somebody,  and  calling  him 
all  manner  of  unpleasant  names.  Ra- 
phael followed  her  anxiously,  trying  to 
soothe  her ;  while  Blanche,  who  had  dis- 
covered the  table  set  for  tea,  was  content- 
edly browsing  over  the  sugar-bowl  and 
jam-pot,  her  countenance  highly  orna- 
mented with  specimens  of  both  substances. 

"  What    is     the    matter,    Sid  ? "    asked 


Camp  Arcady  125 

Cecil,  anxiously  ;  while  Maud  made  a  dash 
for  Blanche,  just  in  time  to  save  the  last 
spoonful  of  jam,  and  bore  her  off,  shriek- 
ing, to  the  wash-bowl  for  necessary  repairs 
to  her  complexion. 

"  Read  that !  "  cried  Sid,  flinging  a  ball 
of  crumpled  paper  at  Cecil.  "  Oh,  the 
cold-blooded  wretch  !  " 

Cecil  dodged,  caught  the  paper,  and, 
smoothing  it  out  on  the  door,  read  with 
some  difficulty  :  — 

"  Miss   MARGUERITE  WELCH  : 

Dear  Madame, —  While  I  recognize  your 
good  intention  in  writing  to  me  about  a  child  you 
have  been  indiscreet  enough  to  take  charge  of, — 
which  child  you  call  my  grand-daughter, —  I 
regret  to  inform  you  that  you  are  mistaken.  I 
recognize  no  claim  of  any  woman  named  Blanche 
Pradu,  nor  of  the  child  of  that  woman.  My 
daughter  I  have  counted  as  dead  for  five  long 


126  Camp  Arcady 

years,   and  I  will   never  put  it  in  the  power  of 
any  human  being  to  make  me  suffer  as  she  did. 
I   beg  that  you   will   consider  this  letter  as 
final.  Very  respectfully, 

J.   D.    BLACKWELL. 

"  Is  that  Baby's  grandfather  ?  "  asked 
Maud,  appearing  in  the  doorway  with  the 
infant.  "You  don't  mean  he  won't  take 
her  ?  " 

"  Won't  even  acknowledge  that  she 
has  any  claim  on  him  at  all,"  cried  Sid. 
"  Oh,  how  can  a  man  be  so  cruel  as  to 
cherish  hatred  against  his  dead  daughter 
or  her  innocent  child  !  " 

"  I  can  understand  it,"  said  Cecilia, 
thoughtfully.  "  He  loved  his  child  self- 
ishly, but  very  truly,  I  suppose ;  and 
when  she  disappointed  him,  and  dis- 
obeyed,—  he  probably  had  some  old- 
fashioned  prejudice  against  actors  and 


Camp   Arcady  127 

acting,  too, —  he  let  his  anger  kill  all 
the  love  and  make  him  morbid, —  eat 
into  his  mind  and  heart,  just  as  a  disease 
does  into  the  body.  Oh,  can't  you  see 
that  what  he  has  written  tortures  him, 
and  that  he  thinks  of  his  child  always, 
and  is  really  half-mad  with  grief,  poor 
man  !  " 

"  Poor  man ! "  echoed  Sid,  fiercely. 
"  Is  he  to  be  pitied  ? " 

"  Yes,  he  is,"  began  Cecil,  firmly. 

Maud  thought  it  time  to  interfere,  for 
Sid's  eyes  were  blazing. 

"  The  wickedness  of  Baby's  grand- 
father is  great,"  she  said  whimsically; 
"  but  I  can't  forget  that  I'm  hungry,  and 
the  tea-table  is  set.  Come  and  indulge, 
dear  people.  You  can  argue  with  calmer 
minds  after  a  taste  of  the  cup  that 
cheers." 


128  Camp   Arcady 

In  spite  of  indignation  and  anxiety, 
the  others  smiled  as  they  followed  Maud 
to  the  table ;  but  Sid  cut  her  meat 
fiercely,  as  if  it  were  "  that  man," 
Raphael  looked  grave  and  disturbed, 
Cecilia  thoughtful,  and  Maud,  forgetting 
the  hunger  she  had  spoken  of,  ate  noth- 
ing herself  while  feeding  Blanche,  with 
pitying  tenderness,  until  that  infant  was 
stuffed  to  repletion. 

When  the  evening's  work  was  over, 
the  community  gathered  for  council. 

"  What  shall  we  do  !  "  asked  Raphael, 
helplessly. 

"  Baby  must  be  taken  care  of,"  said 
Sid,  "  and  I  must  see  to  it.  I  promised 
her  mother  that." 

"  There  are  people  near  our  house  who 
might  like  to  adopt  a  child,"  said  Cecilia, 
hesitatingly.  "  She  would  have  a  good 


Camp  Arcady  129 

country  home,  and  be  brought  up  like 
their  own  daughter.  I'll  write  to  mother 
about  it  if  you  wish  me  to,  Sid." 

"  Or  I  will  write  to  my  home,  though 
in  a  little  town  like  that  there  are  some- 
times queer  ideas  about  actresses'  chil- 
dren," added  Maud. 

Sid  was  lying  on  the  rug  in  the  calm 
that  always  followed  a  storm  with  her. 
She  sat  up,  saying  with  decision :  — 

"  I  won't  have  you  folks  worried  to 
death  about  that  child.  I  promised  her 
mother  I'd  take  care  of  her,  and  I  shan't 
crawl  out  of  it  by  sending  her  away 
among  strangers.  I'll  adopt  her  my- 
self!" 

«  You  !  " 

"Sid  Welch!     That  is  great!" 

"  You're  a  proper  one  to  bring  up  a 
child  !  "  came  with  a  shout  of  laughter 
from  her  three  companions, 


130  Camp  Arcady 

Sid  flushed,  but  said  firmly :  "  You 
needn't  laugh.  I'm  in  earnest.  It's  an 
inspiration,  and  this  is  my  plan.  Father 
has  a  little  house  on  Long  Island, —  a 
place  where  we  never  go,  and  it  is  shut 
up  most  of  the  time.  I'm  going  to  ask 
him  to  let  me  have  the  house  for  the 
summer,  and  give  me  my  money  regu- 
larly instead  of  in  dabs  and  by  fits ;  and 
I'm  going  to  send  an  old  woman  that 
I  found  on  Tenth  Street,  wearing  her 
life  out  in  a  little  sewing-room,  down  to 
the  place  for  housekeeper.  I  know  she 
can  do  it ;  for  I  took  tea  with  her  once, 
and  her  rolls  and  coffee  were  deli- 
cious " — 

"  Another  of  Sid's  pensioners,"  put  in 
Cecil,  parenthetically.  "  I  suspected  she 
had  a  host  of  them,  from  the  way  her 
money  flew." 


Camp  Arcady  131 

Sid  paid  no  attention  to  this,  except  to 
blush  a  little,  as  she  went  on  :  — 

"  So  I  know  she  could  run  things 
straight,  and  it  would  be  a  mercy  to  her; 
and  I'd  put  it  as  a  favor  to  me,  so  her 
pride  wouldn't  be  hurt.  And  I'll  take 
Blanchie,  and  get  a  lot  of  other  poor 
children  to  come  and  visit  her, —  children 
whose  parents  are  too  poor  to  send  them 
away  for  the  summer,  and  too  proud  to 
let  'em  go  on  charity,  and  they  can  get  a 
breath  of  sea  air  and  sunshine ;  and,  oh,  it 
will  be  jolly  !  I  know  I'm  not  fit  to  take 
care  of  a  little  child,"  humbly  ;  "  but  she 
loves  me,  and  I'll  do  my  best,  with  my 
old  lady's  help.  You  can  laugh  if  you 
want  to." 

Sid  paused,  out  of  breath ;  for  she  had 
spoken  rapidly.  But  no  one  laughed. 
No  one  felt  like  it.  At  last  Cecilia  said 
gently  :  — 


132  Camp  Arcady 

"  Are  you  sure  it  isn't  too  big  an 
undertaking,  Sid  ?  Can  you  carry  it 
through  ?  And  won't  it  cost  a  great 
deal  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Sid,  answering  the  last 
question  first :  "  living  is  very  cheap 
down  there ;  and  it  won't  be  hard  work, 
for  there  is  my  old  woman,  poor  thing  ! 
She  needs  some  place  to  stay.  And  the 
house  is  only  a  little  six-room  thing.  So 
I  will  begin  on  a  small  scale, —  provided, 
always,  that  father  will  let  me  have  it, 
and  consent  to  my  keeping  Blanche. 
I  don't  think  he'll  object,  for  he  doesn't 
generally  bother  much  about  what  I  do. 
He'll  smile,  and  say  to  mother  :  l  Another 
fad  of  hers.  Suppose  we  may  as  well 
humor  the  child.'  Just  as  I'd  buy  a 
monkey  on  a  stick  for  Baby." 

Sid  laughed,  but  there  was  a  little  tone 


Camp  Arcady  133 

of   bitterness    in   the    laugh    which    made 
Maud  look  very  sober. 

"  Never  mind,  Sweetheart,"  added  Sid, 
jumping  up  and  pecking  a  little  kiss  at 
her  friend's  cheek,  to  dispel  the  troubled 
look  that  she  hated  to  see,  "  I  don't.  I'll 
go  write  to  him  at  once,  and  tell  him 
about  it.  He's  a  dear  good  daddy,  after 
all,  according  to  his  lights."  And  she 
danced  out  of  the  room. 


THE    CAMP'S    LAST    FROLIC 


CHAPTER   VII. 
THE  CAMP'S  LAST  FROLIC. 


ip,  Maud  !  The  sky  is 
bright  and  clear  as  Spain's  !  It's 
going  to  be  an  ideal  day.  I'm  so  glad  !  " 

"Um-m-m,"  muttered  Maud,  drowsily. 

"  Lazybones !  I  know  what'll  rouse 
you,  though,"  cried  Sid,  reaching  for  the 
little  pitcher  of  water  on  the  window- 
sill.  Maud  slumbered  on,  sweetly  uncon- 
scious. Sid  hesitated  a  moment.  Then 
"  douche  !  "  went  the  cold  water. 

"Ow!  Bah!  Piff!  Poh !  You 
horrid  thing !  "  cried  Maud,  as  she  sat  up, 
dripping  like  a  mermaid,  while  Sid  laughed 
merrily. 

"You  did  wake  up  at  last,  Missy,"  she 
cried.  "  I  thought  I  could  rouse  you." 


138  Camp  Arcady 

"  Oh,  yes,  I'm  awake !  I'll  prove 
that  I'm  awake ! "  And  Maud  seized 
the  big  sponge,  plunged  it  into  the 
basin,  and  made  a  dash  for  Sid.  Away 
they  went,  into  the  studio,  over  the 
model-stand,  behind  the  screen,  through 
the  kitchen,  and  finally  brought  up  on  the 
floor  under  Cecil's  piano,  where  Maud 
scrubbed  Sid's  face  until  she  begged  for 
mercy. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Cecilia, 
drowsily,  sitting  up  and  rubbing  her  eyes. 
And 

u  What's  all  this  row  about,  children  ?  " 
came  from  a  long  white  figure,  standing 
amazed  in  the  doorway. 

"Just  Sid  getting  me  awake,"  replied 
Maud,  meekly,  disentangling  herself  from 
her  friend  and  from  the  piano  legs,  and 
shaking  back  her  long  hair. 


Camp  Arcady  139 

"  Do  you  realize,  infants,"  said  Sid, 
from  the  floor,  <c  that  it  is  the  day  we 
are  to  picnic  at  Mr.  Cameron's  place 
up  the  Hudson !  and  that  the  carriage 
will  be  here  in  just  half  an  hour !  If  I 
weren't  on  hand  to  wake  you  up,  and 
shake  some  life  into  you,  you  might  sleep 
until  doomsday.  But  one's  efforts  are 
never  appreciated." 

Sid  spoke  in  a  moralizing  tone,  as  she 
stretched  out  on  the  rug,  with  her  head 
on  the  pedals,  and  looked  up  at  the  ceil- 
ing with  a  martyrized  expression. 

"So  it  is!"  cried  Cecil,  jumping  up. 
"  Half  an  hour  ?  We  must  hurry  !  " 

"  Better  get  up,  Sid,"  advised  Raphael, 
disappearing  into  her  room.  "  We  haven't 
much  time." 

Maud  helped  Sid  up  by  the  hair  of  her 
head,  and,  dodging  to  escape  the  sponge 


140  Camp  Arcady 

flung  at  her,  fled  to  her  own  room, 
followed  closely  by  her  victim ;  and 
they  proceeded  to  dress  themselves  and 
Blanche,  with  many  scuffles  and  shrieks 
of  laughter. 

They  were  barely  ready  when  Mr. 
Cameron's  haughty  coachman  knocked  at 
the  door. 

"There's  the  carriage,  girls!  Where 
is  my  hat  ?  Maud,  you  tie  on  Blanche's 
cap.  Cis,  don't  prink  so  long.  Raph 
and  I  are  all  ready.  Come  on.  Good- 
morning,  James.  Don't  you  love  to  wait 
for  us  ?  " 

James  grinned  affably  as    he  responded, 

u  An'  I  don't  know  any  one  I'd  ruther 
wait  for,  Miss,"  which  he  meant  for  a 
great  compliment. 

It  was  delightful  to  drive  through  the 
cool,  bright  morning  air  up  the  long 


Camp   Arcady  141 

avenues,  filled,  at  this  early  hour,  only 
with  carts  and  drays ;  to  watch  the  work- 
ingmen  and  the  clerks  hurrying  to  their 
business ;  and  to  feel  the  delicious  freedom 
of  leisure. 

When  they  reached  the  wharf,  they 
found  all  in  readiness  for  them.  The 
little  naphtha  launch,  unpicturesque,  but 
decidedly  jaunty,  lay  alongside  the  quay, 
looking  like  a  saucy  little  puppy  tied  to  a 
very  big  kennel.  Mr.  Cameron  was 
pacing  up  and  down,  stopping  now  and 
then  to  laugh  and  talk  with  a  plump,  gray- 
haired  matron,  sitting  with  John  in  the 
well-cushioned  stern  of  the  launch. 

"  Good-morning,"  he  called,  hurrying 
up  to  help  the  girls  out  of  the  carriage. 
"  Now  isn't  this  pleasant  ?  " 

"  The  beautifulest  blue  day  that  could 
ever  be  !  "  cried  Sid,  enthusiastically  ;  but; 


142  Camp   Arcady 

sharp-eyed  Maud  fancied  Mr.  Cameron 
was  referring  to  something  beside  the 
clear  morning  sky. 

"  I'll  introduce  you  to  Mrs.  Strong 
before  you  go  on  board,"  laughed  their 
host ;  "  for  the  wharf  is  so  high  and  the 
launch  so  low  that  you  will  have  to  step 
on  the  cabin  roof,  and  climb  down  roman- 
tically into  her  arms,  with  the  help  of  the 
railing  and  seat.  So  you  want  to  know 
her  first.  Mrs.  Strong,  these  are  John's 
Best  Friends,  of  whom  he  has  told  you 
so  much,  —  Miss  Danton,  whose  painting 
you  have  seen,  Miss  Howard,  John's 
Very  Particular  Friend,  Miss  Welch, 
Miss  Hastings,  and  Baby  Blanche,  pro- 
tegee of  the  four.  Now,  Blanchie,  you 
go  first.  Hold  out  your  arms,  Mrs. 
Strong."  And  he  gave  Baby  a  clever 
toss  that  landed  her  in  the  ample  cradle 


Camp  Arcady  143 

held  up  for  her,  where  she  gurgled  and 
laughed  ecstatically,  and  begged  him  to 
"  do  it  aden."  But  Mrs.  Strong,  after  a 
hearty  hug  of  "  the  dear,  sweet  thing," 
passed  her  on  to  John,  and  turned  to  help 
the  others. 

Raphael  stepped  on  board  sedately ;  but 
a  big  tug  steamed  past  just  as  Mr.  Cam- 
eron helped  Sid  on  to  the  cabin  roof,  and 
the  little  launch  danced  on  the  waves  in 
the  big  tug's  wake  with  a  mischievous 
vigor  that  made  Sid  wave  her  arms  like  a 
windmill,  and  shriek  wildly,  to  the  edifica- 
tion and  delight  of  a  crowd  of  small  boys 
who  had  gathered  to  watch  the  proceed- 
ings. Sid  finally  righted  herself,  and 
leapt  to  the  little  deck,  catching  her  skirt 
in  the  railing,  giving  it  a  shocking  tear, 
and  sending  her  hat  flying  into  the  water, 
whence  she  and  John  fished  it,  and  hung 


144  Camp  Arcady 

it  over  the  flag-staff  to  dry.  The  others 
had  meanwhile  embarked  without  mis- 
hap. Cecil  pinned  up  the  damaged  skirt ; 
and  Sid  declared  "  it  was  really  better 
than  ever,  being  artistically  draped  now." 
The  little  boat  slowly  turned  and 
headed  for  mid-stream.  For  a  moment 
the  delight  of  looking  filled  them  all. 
Below,  in  the  blue  morning  mists, 
stretched  the  great  river,  widening  to  the 
bay ;  the  wakening,  shadowy  city  on  one 
side,  the  sun-touched  Palisades  on  the 
other.  Above,  to  the  north,  the  river 
curved,  clear  and  blue,  dotted  with  an 
occasional  sail-boat,  or  a  tug,  dragging  in 
its  wake  a  long  serpentine  trail  of  flat- 
boats  ;  one  of  them,  maybe,  having  a  rude 
living-room  built  on  it,  a  woman  hanging 
out  some  clothes  over  its  railings,  and 
some  children  dangling  their  bare  feet 


Camp   Arcady  145 

over  its  edge.  John  and  Blanche  would 
wave  their  hands  to  these  little  waifs 
with  gay  friendliness,  and  the  waifs  would 
wave  affably  back  with  their  tattered  hats 
and  shout  generous  greetings. 

After  breakfast  in  the  little  cabin,  eaten 
with  keen  appetites,  Mr.  Cameron,  who 
was  in  a  gay,  boyish  mood,  joined  the 
children's  play  with  Sid  and  Maud.  Mrs. 
Strong  cornered  Elizabeth,  and  began  to 
talk  art  to  her,  having  conceived  a  vast 
admiration  for  the  ability  displayed  in  her 
exhibition  painting.  And  Cecil  sat  in  the 
stern,  dreamily  content,  watching  the 
water  and  the  sky. 

Then  the  boat  must  be  explored,  with 
Mrs.  Strong  and  John  for  guides ;  while 
Cecil,  in  her  comfortable  nook,  took  care 
of  Blanche  and  talked  to  Mr.  Cameron. 
The  little  seven-by-ten  cabin  was  duly 


146  Camp   Arcady 

admired,  the  seven-by-four  kitchen  ex- 
claimed over,  the  tiny  engine-room  peered 
into,  and  the  steering  apparatus  investi- 
gated. And  Maud  and  Sid  must  try  hold- 
ing the  wheel  themselves,  with  such 
marvellous  results  that  Mr.  Cameron  and 
the  engineer  came  plunging  out  to  the 
forward  deck  to  discover  what  the  awful 
darts  and  turns  and  mad  evolutions  of 
the  little  boat  meant. 

Maud  laughingly  resigned  the  wheel 
to  the  proper  steersman ;  and  they  all 
returned  to  the  forward  deck,  where 
Cecil  was  leaning  over  the  rail,  examin- 
ing the  east  bank  of  the  river.  The 
"  Sketch  Book,"  open  at  the  legend  of 
Sleepy  Hollow,  was  beside  her. 

"  We  are  near  Irving-land,"  she  ex- 
plained, "  so  I've  been  getting  into  the 
mood.  Can  you  see  Sunnyside,  John  ?  " 


Camp  Arcady  147 

John  pointed  out  the  plain,  friendly- 
looking  house ;  and  they  all  looked  long 
and  reverentially  at  the  roof  that  had 
sheltered  the  kindly,  gentle  man  who  was 
everybody's  friend  through  all  his  clean 
and  sunny  life.  They  examined  Tarry- 
town  with  interest,  and  craned  their  necks 
for  a  glimpse  of  Sleepy  Hollow,  the 
steeple  of  whose  little  church  they  could 
just  see  through  the  trees  ;  and  they  felt, 
somehow,  that  they  had  shaken  hands 
with  the  spirit  of  Irving,  across  the  gulf 
of  years. 

A  few  miles  above  the  Hollow  they 
came  to  anchor  (by  throwing  a  rope 
around  a  post)  at  a  little  boat-house  on 
the  east  bank. 

"  This  is  John's  and  my  ancestral 
home,"  said  Mr.  Cameron,  leaping  on 
shore.  "  Welcome  to  hall  and  bower, 


148  Camp   Arcady 

fair  ladies  !  "  And  he  handed  them  out 
with  a  cavalier's  flourish  that  delighted 
Sid. 

Up  the  broad  gravelled  path  they 
wandered,  to  the  old  square  house, 
through  the  old-fashioned  gardens  with 
their  budding  shrubbery  and  their  beds  of 
tulips  and  crocuses.  Then  the  old  colo- 
nial mansion  was  explored,  and  Maud  and 
Elizabeth  revelled  in  the  fine  old  portraits 
and  the  few  well-chosen  modern  paint- 
ings. 

"  You  shall  be  represented  here  some 
day,  Miss  Danton,"  laughed  Mr.  Cam- 
eron ;  "  and  I'll  point  to  my  Danton  as 
the  gem  of  the  collection." 

Cecil,  who  loved  quaint  furniture  even 
better  than  paintings,  had  wandered  away 
with  John  and  Mrs.  Strong  to  see  some 
"  dear  old  four-poster  beds  and  swell 


Camp   Arcady  149 

front  dressers  and  spindle-legged  chairs 
and  things."  Sid  and  Blanche  had  dis- 
appeared. 

"  Gone  to  the  orchard,  I  think,"  said 
Mr.  Cameron,  "  to  see  about  the  luncheon. 
You  would  rather  have  it  out  under  the 
trees,  wouldn't  you  ?  " 

"  Indeed,  we  would,"  cried  Maud. 
"  Cis  !  Mrs.  Strong  !  John  !  come  on  ! 
We're  going  to  adjourn  to  the  orchard." 

So  they  all  trooped  out  into  the  air 
again,  and  laughed  to  find  Sid  absorbed 
and  revelling  in  a  gorgeous  bed  of  crim- 
son and  gold  tulips ;  while  Baby  had 
found  a  trough  of  water  near  by,  and, 
making  a  boat  of  her  little  overshoe,  was 
giving  several  unwilling  grub-worms  a 
trip  "  up  ve  river,"  and  getting  herself 
well  splashed  in  the  process. 

Sid  and   Maud   raced  to  the  orchard  for 


150  Camp  Arcady 

the  privilege  of  making  the  coffee ;  and 
Sid,  winning,  set  about  building  a  tiny 
fire,  while  Maud  buried  herself  in  apple- 
blooms  and  delight,  and  scoffed  at  her 
triumphant  friend. 

u  Now  I  will  show  you,"  said  Sid,  in  a 
didactic  tone,  u  how  to  make  such  coffee 
as  never  can  be  tasted  except  in  the 
woods.  Give  me  the  pot,  please,  Mr. 
Cameron,  and  you  may  touch  a  match  to 
my  twigs,  if  you  will ;  but  I'll  do  the 
rest.  Thank  you.  Cis,  bring  me  the 
water !  The  coffee,  John  !  That's  right. 
Now,  Raphy,  just  hand  me  one  of  those 
eggs.  Ah,  this  will  be  delicious  !  I  do 
love  to  make  coffee." 

u  One,  two,  three,  four,  five  people ! 
Does  it  take  you  all  for  Sid's  coffee  ?  " 
called  Maud,  as  she  went  to  help  Cecilia 
and  Mrs.  Strong,  who,  scornfully  reject- 


Camp  Arcady  151 

ing  the  table  provided  for  them,  were  set- 
ting the  luncheon  out  on  the  ground  in 
true  picnic  fashion. 

"  This  is  quite  ideal,"  she  added  :  "  it  is 
more  Arcadian  than  Camp  Arcady  itself. 
Look  out,  Sid  !  there  goes  your  coffee  !  " 

Sid  wildly  grasped  the  pot,  whose  con- 
tents, forgotten  for  the  moment,  were 
gently  sizzling  on  the  coals.  She  rescued 
the  coffee,  but  at  the  expense  of  her  long- 
suffering  skirt,  which  got  a  liberal  douche 
on  its  front  that  put  a  finishing  touch  to 
it. 

"  Never  mind,"  she  said  philosophically  : 
"  the  dress  is  now  at  the  point  where  it 
can't  be  hurt.  '  He  that  is  down  need  fear 
no  fall,'  you  know ;  and  the  coffee  is 
perfect,  and  plenty  of  it  left, —  if  I  do  say 
it  myself,  as  shouldn't."  And  she  sniffed 
ecstatically. 


152  Camp  Arcady 

The  coffee  was  delicious,  and,  reinforced 
by  the  contents  of  Mr.  Cameron's  hampers, 
made  a  most  tempting  show.  John  and 
Blanche  found  a  bond  of  sympathy  in  the 
jelly-dish,  which  reposed  between  them ; 
and  after  luncheon  they  wandered  off 
hand  in  hand  to  look  at  the  puppies  and 
kittens  and  the  doves  in  the  big  barn. 

u  What  a  chivalrous  little  man  he  is  !  " 
said  Cecil,  smiling.  "  Watch  him  guide 
the  little  maiden's  steps  with  his  one  free 
hand,  as  deferentially  as  a  knight  of  yore." 

"  I  don't  know  how  he  will  get  along 
without  you  this  summer,"  said  Mr.  Cam- 
eron, glancing  from  her  to  Mrs.  Strong  and 
Raphael,  Sid  and  Maud,  who  were  arrang- 
ing a  quiet  little  game  of  croquet  on  a  bit 
of  open  ground  across  the  orchard. 

u  He  thinks  a  great  deal  of  you,"  he 
added,  strolling  quietly  down  over  the  hill 
with  Cecilia. 


Camp  Arcadv  153 

"  And  I  of  him,"  said  Cecil,  warmly. 
"  I  shall  miss  him  sadly,  I  know." 

"  You  will  be  back  next  winter  ?  " 

Cecil  shook  her  head.  "  The  winter 
was  an  experiment  for  me,"  she  said  with 
sunny  patience,  "  and  it  has  failed.  So  I 
must  try  a  new  one." 

Mr.  Cameron  pulled  a  lilac  from  the 
hedge  beside  him,  and  examined  it  with 
great  interest. 

"  Miss  Howard,"  he  said,  as  he  flung  it 
down,  "  John  can't  live  without  you ; 
and  neither  can  I.  If  you  begin  a  new 
experiment  next  winter,  can  it  not  be  with 
me, —  with  me,  my  darling  ?  " 

The  two  soft  hands  went  out  to  the 
strong  brown  ones,  and  rested  there,  while 
the  brown  eyes  gave  their  answer  to  the 
blue. 

At  this  interesting  moment  Sid  looked 
up  from  her  ball,  and  said  impatiently :  — 


154  Camp  Arcady 

"  Oh,  dear !  I  wanted  Cis  and  Mr. 
Cameron  to  take  a  hand  in  this  game  with 
us  ;  and  I  declare  they've  gone  off  with 
Blanche  and  John,  and  the  four  of  'em 
are  out  of  sight.  Well,  come  on,  any- 
way. Maud  and  I  will  beat  you  and  Mrs. 
Strong,  Raphael." 

Of  course,  as  Mr.  Cameron  and  Cecil 
were  out  of  sight,  we  can  know  no  more 
of  what  they  said  or  did  for  the  next  hour 
or  so.  But  Sid  and  Maud  had  beaten 
their  opponents  twice  on  the  well-fought 
field  when  the  wanderers  hove  in  sight 
over  the  brow  of  the  hill,  with  the  two 
children  in  front  of  them. 

u  Come  and  have  a  game,"  called  Sid, 
excitedly  gesticulating.  "  We've  beaten 
two,  and  want  a  third.  Come  on." 

"Too  late!"  called  back  Mr.  Cameron. 
We'll  have  to  embark  at  once,  to  get  to 


Camp  Arcady  155 

the  city  to-night.  But  I'll  beat  you  a 
game  next  time  you  come,  Miss  Sid,  for 
I  shan't  think  this  is  the  last  time  we'll 
have  a  picnic  on  my  grounds." 

The  little  launch  rocked  lazily  at  the 
water's  edge,  garlanded  and  laden  with 
flowers.  A  great  bunch  of  apple-blooms 
for  Maud ;  brilliant  tulips  for  Sid ;  for 
Raphael,  daffodils ;  and,  for  Cecil,  loads 
of  early  sweet  violets. 

The  trip  home  was  a  very  silent  one. 
Sid  and  Maud  tried  to  talk ;  but  Raphael 
was  studying  the  blaze  of  crimson  and 
purple  and  gold  behind  the  western  hills, 
and  the  fiery  reflection  in  the  river.  John 
was  asleep,  with  his  head  in  Cecil's  lap. 
Mr.  Cameron,  at  the  extreme  end  of  the 
deck,  seemed  to  find  pleasant  thoughts  in 
the  glowing  river ;  for  he  smiled  to  himself 
as  he  watched  its  waves.  So  at  last  every 


156  Camp  Arcady 

one  sank  to  silence  under  the  spell  of  the 
changing  sky  and  the  gathering  dusk. 

The  stars  were  bright  when  they 
reached  the  city  at  last,  and  the  impatient 
horses  were  tossing  their  heads  and 
stamping  restlessly  beside  the  wharf. 

Cordial  good-nights  were  said ;  and, 
after  the  long,  cool  drive  down  town, 
the  girls,  up  in  their  own  lofty  nest  again, 
had  a  little  talk. 

"  It  seems  like  a  fairy  dream,  and  I've 
just  awakened,"  said  Maud,  arranging  her 
flowers  in  a  great  blue  jar  of  Raphael's. 
"  And  next  week  I  start  for  home.  That 
seems  like  a  dream,  too,  but  so  good  !  " 

"  I  do  hate  to  tear  up,"  said  Sid,  pa- 
thetically, measuring  drapery  and  furnit- 
ure with  her  eye,  as  she  rocked  softly  to 
and  fro,  with  Blanche  nestled  in  her 
arms. 


The  Last  Talk. 


Camp  Arcady  157 

"  Do  you  remember  your  first  evening 
here,  Maud  ? "  asked  Cecilia.  "  I  can 
see  you  now  standing  there  with  Raphael, 
blushing  like  a  peony." 

"  How  scared  I  was  !  "  laughed  Maud. 
"  Raphy  was  so  big  and  solemn  ;  and  Sid, 
poor  dear,  talked  so  fast  and  so  hard  she 
took  my  breath  away ;  and  Cecil  was  the 
only  refuge  left.  You  looked  like  a  good 
angel  to  me  that  night,  Cis." 

"  And  the  plans  we  told  at  the  tea- 
table,"  said  Sid,  smiling  down  on  the 
little  sleeping  child.  "  How  different  it 
has  all  been  !  " 

"Miss  Marguerite  Welch,  the  rising 
young  actress  of  the  day,"  quoted  Maud, 
tossing  a  tulip  at  her  feet,  "  here's  a  bou- 
quet for  you." 

Sid  shook  her  head.  "  How  foolish 
that  seems  now ! "  she  said,  trying  the 


158  Camp  Arcady 

effect  of  the  crimson  cup  against  Baby's 
curls.  "  I  am  no  genius,  as  our  Raphy 
is,  but,  as  you  all  do  know,  a  common- 
place sort  of  girl.  Acting  never  was  my 
real  work." 

"  I  think  you've  found  your  real 
work,"  said  Cecil,  gently,  as  she  looked 
at  the  pretty  picture. 

"  I  had  a  letter  from  father  to-day," 
said  Sid,  after  a  pause.  "  The  tenderest 
letter !  I  told  him  about  my  plan,  you 
know,  for  the  summer  cottage.  He  said  : 
4  You  shall  have  your  cottage  and  income 
just  as  you  wish,  little  girl ;  but  first 
come  home  to  me.  I  have  been  too  long 
a  stranger  to  my  daughter ;  and  I  want  her 
to  forgive  me  for  it,  and  to  make  me  her 
helper  and  confidant  in  all  her  generous 
plans.'  Isn't  that  beautiful  of  him  ?  And 
I  never  thought  he  cared ! "  And  the 


Camp  Arcady  159 

bitterness  that  had  so  often  shocked  and 
troubled  Maud  was  washed  away  for- 
ever in  the  one  bright  drop  that  fell  on 
Blanche's  curls,  as  Sid  softly  kissed 
them. 

Raphael  broke  the  little  sympathetic 
pause. 

"  Will  you  be  back  again  next  winter, 
Maud  ?  " 

Maud  shook  her  head.  "  I've  thought 
it  over,"  she  said,  earnestly,  "  and  it  isn't 
worth  the  sacrifice.  I  might  be  the  one 
out  of  five  hundred  to  gain  fame  and 
fortune  at  art,  but  it  would  mean  years 
and  years  of  such  work  and  failure  and 
loneliness  and  longing  as  I  never  dreamed 
could  be.  And,  while  I  was  struggling 
here,  they  would  be  pinching  and  contriv- 
ing at  home  to  get  the  money  for  me  to 
spend,  and  we  should  all  be  miserable. 


160  Camp  Arcady 

Mother  needs  me  and  longs  for  me,  and 
my  place  is  with  her." 

Cecil  nodded  approvingly,  as  Maud 
finished  with  unwonted  earnestness. 
Raphael,  in  her  shadowy  corner,  said 
nothing. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do,  Cis?" 
asked  Sid. 

And  then  Cecilia  blushed  and  stam- 
mered as  she  said,  with  her  face  hidden 
among  her  violets, — 

"I  —  I  —  will  be  with  mother  all 
summer;  and  next  fall  —  I  —  Mr.  Cam- 
eron "— 

"  Cecilia  Howard !  I  suspected  as 
much  !  "  cried  Sid  ;  though  she  had,  on 
the  contrary,  been  most  strenuous  in 
denying  it. 

And,  "  O  Cecil,  I'm  so  glad  !  And 
I  know  you  will  be  happy  !  Just  think 


Camp  Arcady  161 

of  being  mistress  of  that  beautiful  big 
house,  and  all  the  lovely  things  in  it  !  " 
cried  Maud,  in  girlish  delight  at  once 
over  the  romance  and  the  more  material 
beauties  of  Cecil's  lot. 

Then  for  a  few  moments  they  all  talked 
at  once,  very  fast. 

"  Raphael  is  the  only  one  who  has  not 
told  her  plans,"  said  Cecil,  thoughtfully, 
after  the  flurry  of  excitement  over  her  an- 
nouncement had  died  down  ;  "  and  she  is 
the  only  one  whose  winter  has  brought 
the  success  she  planned  for." 

Elizabeth,  who  had  come  forward  to 
congratulate  her  friend,  smiled  a  little 
wistfully  as  she  stroked  the  soft  brown 
hair. 

"  I  don't  think  you  would  call  your 
winter  a  failure,  Cissy,"  she  said  :  "  it  has 
not  brought  what  you  expected,  but  " — 


1 62  Camp  Arcady 

"Something  better  far,"  said  Cecilia, 
softly.  "  Yes,  dear,  it  has." 

"  And  the  work  Sid  has  found  to  do  is 
so  beautiful  that  I  feel  almost  like  envying 
her  success,"  added  Raphael,  with  a  little 
smile  for  the  Madonna  group  before  her. 

Sid  nodded  contentedly  above  the  golden 
head,  and  said  with  a  laugh  :  "  To  continue 
the  moral  reflections,  here's  Maud,  who 
has  learned  a  fine  lesson, —  to  be  content 
with  the  simple  and  cheap  and  satisfying 
things  of  life  instead  of  struggling  after 
the  unattainable.  But  I  shall  be  calling 
on  you  to  help  me  with  my  l  Refuge  for 
Young  and  Old '  some  day,  sweetheart, 
and  make  a  philanthropist  of  you,  since 
you've  given  up  art." 

Maud  laughed  a  little. 

u  But  what  will  Raph  do  this  summer?  " 
asked  Cecil. 


Camp  Arcady  163 

"  Go  somewhere  in  the  country  and 
paint  landscape,"  said  Elizabeth,  with  a 
patient  smile,  "  and  come  back  next  winter 
to  my  portraits  and  studies.  I  have  no 
home.  So  I  can't  follow  the  example  of 
you  three." 

There  was  just  a  little  quiver  in  the 
quiet  tones.  Cecil's  hands  went  up  to 
clasp  the  two  that  rested  on  her  hair. 

"  You  shall  have,  dear,"  she  cried  ten- 
derly, drawing  Raphael  down  beside  her. 
"  Come  home  with  me.  Mother  will  be 
so  glad  !  She  will  love  you  and  scold  you 
and  pet  you  as  if  you  belonged  to  her  ;  and 
I'll  share  her  with  you,  and  you  shall  tramp 
and  paint  as  much  as  you  like.  And  my 
sister  and  brother  will  just  take  you  right 
to  their  hearts.  Come  with  me,  Raphy. 
Do  come  !  " 

And    self-contained    Raphael     put    her 


164  Camp  Arcady 

head  down  on  Cecilia's  lap,  like  a  tired 
child,  and  said  gratefully  :  "  How  good  and 
restful  that  does  sound  !  I'll  come.  You 
see,"  she  added,  with  one  hand  out  to  Sid, 
"  I've  learned  something,  too.  I've  learned 
to  value  my  loyal  friends,  and  to  be  humble 
enough  to  accept  the  kindnesses  I  never 
can  repay." 


PRINTED  BY  GEO.  H.  ELLIS 
AT  272  CONGRESS  STREET 
BOSTON,  FOR  RICHARD 
G.  BADGER  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS 
BOSTON 


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